STATE ORGANS | THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA | MULTI-PARTY COOPERATION AND THE POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE SYSTEM | JURISDICTION | HONG KONG | MACAO | TAIWAN | RELIGION | RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES

Religion

??

There are many religions in China. Buddhism, Taoism and Islam are quite popular, while there are also Christian believers (both Catholic and Protestant).

Chinese citizens have freedom of religious belief. The State protects normal religious activities and the legitimate rights and interests of the religious circles. The Constitution, Criminal Law, Civil Law, Electoral Law, Military Service Law, Compulsory Education Law, Labor Law, the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy and the General Principles of the Civil Law all provide explicit and detailed stipulations on the protection of freedom of religious belief and the equal rights of believers. No State organs, public organizations and individuals may compel citizens to believe in or not to believe in any religion, nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in or do not believe in any religion.

National religious bodies include the Buddhist Association of China, China Taoist Association, Islamic Association of China, Patriotic Association of the Catholic Church in China, Chinese Catholic Bishops College, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches of China and the China Christian Council. All the religious bodies elect leaders and leading bodies according to their own articles of association.