The Chinese capital Beijing has issued a law to protect the practices of religious people and organizations.

The Provisions on Religious Affairs of Beijing City was recently passed by the municipal people's congress.

Since the city has lots of religious groups and sites, the local statute has been adopted to protect normal religious practices and the legal rights and interests of religious people, Beijing's people's congress said.

When entering a place of religion, everyone must respect the traditions and not interfere with usual religious practices through debates and propaganda against the religion, according to the law.

Anyone who wants to erect new buildings, set up public facilities, or hold public activities at a religious site must first get approval from the religious authorities and government department concerned, it says.

The law will come into force on November 1 this year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2002)