Beijing Review Exclusive |
The West smearing China’s religions is pointless | |
Religious leaders in China share their opinions at the BFA Annual Conference 2021 | |
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![]() China's religious leaders attend a press meeting during the BFA’s Annual Conference 2021, in Hainan’s Boao Town, on April 20 (TAO XING)
The West besmudging China’s religions will have no influence on China’s international religious and cultural exchanges with other countries, said Tumuniyazi Abudourekefu, Vice President of China Islamic Association and President of Xinjiang Islamic Institute. According to Abudourekefu, more than 1,000 people, including foreign diplomats, politicians, religionists and journalists, visited Xinjiang Islamic Institute in 2019. He made the remarks during a press meeting at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021, in Hainan Province, on April 20. Abudourekefu introduced that, in Xinjiang, people from 10 different ethnic groups are of the Islamic faith, and all are free to believe in whatever they like, as long as it’s in compliance with the law. The Quran and Hadith have both been translated into four languages, including standard Chinese, Uygur, and Kazakh to meet believers’ needs. Yin Shun, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China and President of the Buddhist Association of Hainan Province, and Stephen Bun Sang Lee, the Bishop of Macau (Catholic Diocese) also attended the press conference. "Today, all three of us, hailing from Islam, Buddhism and Catholicism, are sitting here together. Daoism and other religions, too, can join us right here. This [tolerance] lies at the very core of religion and is currently the case within China. We develop in harmony," Abudourekefu told Beijing Review. "No matter how the West smears China and China’s Islam, Catholicism, or other religions, we will insist on our approach of peaceful development," Abudourekefu said. Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon Comments to taoxing@bjreview.com |
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