Reports of persecution against Christians in China specifically involve opposition from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their provincial counterparts. The country's governing officials have mandated that all churches promote the Communist Party's policies. Those refusing to comply inevitably encounter harassment or imprisonment. For more information regarding Christian persecution in China, and/or to review specific reports, see our China country profile.
In an attempt to legitimize the detention of church leaders, authorities frequently charged Christians with "illegal business practices" or "illegally using information networks." While some believers faced short administrative detentions without any formal charges (as a means of intimidation), others received lengthy sentences.
For believers who were released after serving their prison sentences, there remained severe restrictions. Pastor John Cao, who had been released from detainment in 2024 after enduring seven years of imprisonment, was refused the issuance of a passport (preventing him from travelling out of the country to be with his wife and children), despite the fact that he was granted permanent residency in the United States. Two other church leaders, whose sentences had been suspended in October, were subjected to constant surveillance – including facial-recognition check-ins three times daily. When the leaders failed to meet those requirements, they were returned to prison.
In another recent occurrence, which took place this past October, a large network of congregations under the leadership of the Beijing Zion Church were subjected to coordinated raids. These crackdowns led to the formal arrests of 18 church leaders who, at the time of publishing this report, are presently awaiting trial.
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