Translation:Detailed Instructions on the Implementation of the Administrative Rules for the Religious Activities of Foreigners within the Borders of the People's Republic of China

by State Administration for Religious Affairs of the PRC （国家宗教事务局）

(promulgated by order number one of the State Administration for Religious Affairs of the PRC on September 26th 2000, will enter into effect immediately upon the date of promulgation)

Article 1: In accordance with the <<Administrative Rules for the Religious Activities of Foreigners within the borders of the People's Republic of China>> these implementation instructions are set.

Article 2: Foreigners with the borders of the People's Republic of China (hereafter referred to as: 'foreigners within the borders') are defined as persons who do not have Chinese nationality within the borders of China according to the rules found within the <<Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China>>, including those persons who live long periods and those who are short-term visitors in China.

Article 3: Religious activities of foreigners within the borders of China is defined as foreigners within the borders of China, in accordance with the individual customs of the religious faith, carrying-out or participating in religious ceremonies, engaging in any kind of occurring communication between themselves and groups within Chinese religious society, religious activity centres and religious ministers, as well as every kind of relevant religious activity.

Article 4: The People’s Republic of China respects the religious freedom of foreigners within the borders of China, and it protects and administers the religious activities of foreigners in China in accordance with the law. The People’s Republic of China, in accordance with the law, protects the friendly relations and cultural exchange activities involving religion between foreigners and the Chinese religious sphere.

Article 5: Foreigners may, in accordance with their own religious faith, participate in religious activities at legally registered temples, Taoist temples, mosques and churches.

Article 6: Visiting foreigners possessing a religious minister identity may preach or give sermons at legally registered religious activity centres upon the invitation of the provincial, autonomous regional, directly-administered municipal or higher-level religious social group. Religious ministers with other statuses entering the borders may preach or give sermons at legally registered religious activity centres upon the invitation of the provincial, autonomous regional, directly-administered municipal or higher-level religious social group, as well as the approval of the provincial-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs bureau. Foreign religious ministers that are invited to preach or give sermons at legally registered religious activity centres, should respect the management regulations of the centre and respect the religious customs of the people at the centre.

Article 7: Foreigners within the borders who are collectively engaging in religious activities should carry out their activities within legally-registered temples, Taoist temples, mosques or churches that are approved by the county-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs bureau, or within temporary sites that are set by the provincial, autonomous-regional or directly-administered People’s government’s religious affairs bureau. Foreigners within the borders who collectively engage in religious activities at temporary sites should be managed and supervised by the county-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs bureau.

Article 8: The friendly relations and cultural exchange activities involving religion between foreigners and the Chinese religious sphere, should be conducted through the provincial, autonomous regional, directly-administered municipal or higher-level religious social group.

Article 9: All foreign religious organizations and their members who have no corresponding legal Chinese religious organization within the borders of China, wherein the religious organization or those with a religious minister identity within the religion engage in communication and activities with a department of the Chinese government or with the Chinese religious sphere, must first receive approval from the provincial-level government religious affairs department, and then be submitted to the national religious affairs bureau for approval.

Article 10: Through approval of the Chinese religious social group, foreigners within the borders may invite Chinese religious ministers to conduct baptisms, weddings, funerals, Buddhist or Taoist rites, or other religious ceremonies, in accordance with the individual religion’s customs. Among these, weddings of foreigners must only be given to a two-party male and female couple that already have established lawful marriage relations. Chinese religious ministers are defined as every kind of religious ministry personnel that have been accepted and reported by a legally registered religious social group.

Article 11: Through the approval of the national-level religious social group or the provincial, autonomous-regional or directly-administered municipal religious social group, as well through the permission and acceptance of the county-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs department, foreigners may bring religious articles in through the borders to be used for religious academic or cultural exchanges in accordance with relevant religious academic or cultural exchange projects and agreements. Religious articles coming in through the borders that conform to the above rules and relevant customs rules, shall be granted release by customs through attestation given by the provincial, autonomous regional, or directly-administered municipal People’s religious affairs department or the national religious affairs bureau.

Article 12: The following religious publications, religious audio or visual materials and other religious items shall not enter the borders:

i) Items in such numbers that they exceed the reasonable amount that a single individual would use, as well as items that do not conform to the scope set by article 11;

ii) Items that have content that is threatening to the national security of China and the public interest of society. If such religious publications, religious audio or visual materials, or other religious items are discovered, it shall be the responsibility of customs to deal with it in accordance with the law. Religious publications, religious audio or visual materials, or other religious items that are discovered that violate the first rule, which have already been brought through the borders or which have entered the borders through other means, shall be dealt with by county-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs departments or other relevant departments in accordance with the law.

Article 13: Foreign organizations or individuals that provide finances or quotas for students studying abroad, with the goal of training religious ministers for China, shall receive students for studying abroad through the acceptance and selection made within the overall-planning of the national-level Chinese religious social group in accordance with its needs. Foreign organizations or individuals must not recruit students for studying abroad, with the goal of training religious ministers, within the borders of China without authorization.

Article 14: Foreigners who attend Chinese religious schools for studies, must follow the relevant rules within the <<Administrative Rules for Higher-level Schools Accepting Foreign Students >>, and they shall get permission from the national-level religious social group and they shall be registered with the national religious affairs department.

Article 15: Foreigners who go to give lectures at Chinese religious schools, must proceed in accordance with the rules in the <<Measures for Religious Schools Hiring Foreign Professionals>>.

Article 16: Foreigners who conduct religious activities within the borders of China, should obey Chinese laws and statutes. Foreigners should not interfere with the setup or modify Chinese religious social groups or religious activity centres. They should not interfere with the selection or changing of religious ministers done by Chinese religious social groups. They should not interfere with or dominate other forms of the internal affairs of Chinese religious social groups. Foreigners within the borders of China must not, in any name or form, erect religious social organizations, set up religious administrative bodies, set up religious activity centres or open religious schools, or run religious training classes.

Article 17: Foreigners must not engage in the following forms of missionary activity within the borders of China:

i) Appointing Chinese citizens as religious ministers;

ii) Converting Chinese citizens;

iii) Engaging in unauthorized preaching or teaching within a religious activity centre;

iv) Engaging in preaching, teaching or conducting collective religious activities at a place other than a legally registered religious activity centre without permission;

v) Conducting a religious activity with participation of Chinese citizens at a temporary religious site, and not when Chinese religious ministers have been invited to conduct religious activities;

vi) Creating or selling religious print media, religious visual or audio materials, published electronic religious materials and other religious items;

vii) Disseminating religious promotional material;

viii) Other forms of missionary activities.

Article 18: International religious organizations, bodies and their members that have communications or related activities regarding religious affairs with Chinese religious social groups, religious activity centres or religious ministers, must first apply to the provincial-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs department, and may proceed after they have received permission.

Article 19: Foreigners within the country that violate these detailed instructions by carrying out religious activities, shall be the responsibility of the county-level or higher People’s government’s religious affairs department and related departments to stop in accordance with the law. Foreigners within the borders that violate these detailed instructions by carrying out religious activities, and who have made violations of the <<People’s Republic of China Administrative laws for the entry or exit of Foreigners>> , the <<People’s Republic of China Regulations on Public Security Administration Punishments>> or other laws and statutes, shall be dealt with by the public security organ in accordance with the law; those that have incurred criminal offences, shall be investigated and punished by the judicial organ in accordance with the law.

Article 20: Religious activities of foreign organizations within the borders of the People’s Republic of China shall be subject to these detailed instructions.

Article 21: These detailed instructions are the responsibility of the national religious affairs bureau to interpret.

Article 22: These detailed instructions enter into effect immediately upon promulgation.