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In June, Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party's central committee, endorsed a nationwide campaign against Christian house-church leaders, according to Chinese government and academic sources. Large roundups targeting house-church leaders took place over the summer.

Observers say Hu is demonstrating, prior to the annual party meeting in October, that he can handle ideological subversion. Previously, Hu led a crackdown in Tibet.

Planning for the anti-Christian campaign took place at an annual meeting of religious affairs personnel in January. The methodology was perfected in previous years during anti-"cult" investigations and arrests. In secret government documents, officials called uncontrolled religions "termites to national security." One provincial security chief said such campaigns should be done as stealthily as possible. "Talk less and smash the cult quietly," he said.

According to Chinese Christian human-rights activist Bob Fu, on June 11 about 100 members of the China Gospel Fellowship were arrested. Then on July 12, more than 100 church leaders were arrested at their summer training retreat in Xinjiang, a volatile northwest frontier area with many Muslims. A large northern China house-church network called Ying Shang Church convened the retreat. Most were released.

The government has also sentenced several Chinese Christian intellectuals to prison for revealing details of a trial of Li Baozhi, a house-church Christian. Li's lawyer said she had phoned a fellow Christian, who is a member of the suppressed Born Again Movement, looking for a job for her son. When police found Li's phone number in her friend's address book, they swept up Li as a conspiratorial "cultist" and tortured her to obtain a confession.

House-church leaders publicized Li's case as an example of the government's arbitrary treatment of house-church Christians. However, prosecutors made ominous references to national security concerns mentioned in secret government directives. One such directive, obtained by CT, referred to "a great war against cults."

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

More Christianity Today coverage of Christians in China includes:

Loose Lips | Christians in Hong Kong worry over remarks by broadcaster. (Aug. 13, 2004)

A Captivating Vision | Why Chinese house churches may just end up fulfilling the Great Commission. (April 14, 2004)

China Arrests Dozens of Prominent Christians | At least 50 detained in fresh crackdown on house churches, reportedly promoted by new video and book releases. (Feb. 18, 2004)

The Red Glowing Cross | A veteran journalist makes vivid the hidden and expanding world of Chinese Christianity (Feb. 18, 2004)

House-Church Christian Dies in Custody | Family saw prisoner injured and bound with heavy chains (Jan, 15, 2004)

Crushing House Churches | Chinese intelligence and security forces attack anew. What you can do to help persecuted Christians in China (Jan. 13, 2004)

About-Face on Charities | Communist leaders invite even Christians to help the poor. (Oct. 21, 2003)

'Dangerous' Chinese Bill Is Thwarted | Article 23 would have automatically banned Hong Kong groups now outlawed on the mainland. (Aug. 21, 2003)

Breakthrough Dancing | A look at the one of the most creative youth ministries in Hong Kong—if not the world. (July 23, 2003)

Hit by the SARS Tornado | Breakthrough reacted quickly when the disease hit Hong Kong. (July 23, 2003)

Inside CT: Chinese Puzzle | Things are changing for China's church. (March 07, 2003)

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October 2004, Vol. 48, No. 10