China expands religious scrutiny to Chengdu hospitals, schools; employees, students asked to disclose beliefs
Employees at a public hospital were ordered to disclose their religious beliefs and education authorities collected information on the religious backgrounds of students and their families, according to The Epoch Times. An internal notice circulated by a public hospital in Chengdu said it was conducting a comprehensive survey of employees’ religious beliefs as part of its “regular investigation of ideological, ethnic, and religious work. The notice said the survey was to cover every employee, including permanent staff, contracted workers and temporary workers. Those with no religious affiliation were also required to register as having “no religious belief”, according to the report.
China has expanded scrutiny of religious affiliation into public workplaces and schools in Chengdu. Employees were instructed to provide information about their religious affiliation and not conceal or omit relevant details.
The notice further said members of the Chinese Communist Party are not permitted to practise a religion and that employees with religious affiliations were required to report the matter to their Party branch. Religious activities and proselytising were also prohibited in the workplace, according to the document. The Chinese government has promoted a policy known as the “Sinicisation of religion”, under which religious groups are expected to align their activities with Chinese law and the political and cultural priorities of the state. Chinese president Xi Jinping has also called for stronger Party leadership over religious affairs and for religious work to be incorporated into the Party’s broader leadership system, according to the report.