U.S. Secretary of State Speaks Out on Religious Freedom in China
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a state approved service at Gangwashi Protestant Church in Beijing on Palm Sunday. In her visit to China, she emphasized the importance of religious freedom.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a state approved service at Gangwashi Protestant Church in Beijing on Palm Sunday. In her visit to China, she emphasized the importance of religious freedom.
Secretary Rice, who is the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, attended the service where she was greeted with applause by the congregation as she entered. About 500 congregants sang hymns. Later, Rice listened with headphones to a sermon translation.
“It was an extraordinary experience. It was a quite moving experience,” said Rice, when asked about her church visit at a press conference before leaving China. Though the service was at a state-sponsored church she said, “I don’t think there was any doubt about the believers who were there and their commitment to their religion.”
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During the trip, Rice spoke about the progress of human rights issues in China, noting there has been progress in recent months and that it should continue.She also expressed hope that there would be improved relations in religious freedom with the Catholic Church, as well as in religious freedom overall.
Recently, China has established new laws intended to guarantee religious freedom, which some critics have viewed as ploys to further regulate religious activities.
During the trip, she said she had the opportunity to speak with her counterpart, Chinese foreign minister Li Zhaoxing about the importance of being able to exercise religious beliefs.
“I made that point to my counterpart, Mr. Li, and to others, and I do hope that there is an understanding that religious communities are not a threat to transitioning societies; in fact, they are very often in societies that are changing a force for good, for stability and for compassion in societies that are undergoing rapid change.”
She also said to him that religious freedom is particularly important to the United States because it was “founded by people who were fleeing religious persecution.” She said religion would “continue to be a major issue in U.S.-China relations.”
