Missions

Over 100 Foreign Missionaries Expelled In China

The China Aid Association (CAA) has reported that over 100 foreign missionaries have been expelled this year between April and June in a Chinese government-sponsored campaign to prevent the spreading of the Gospel before the Beijing Olympics.

The China Aid Association (CAA) has reported that over 100 foreign missionaries have been expelled this year between April and June in a Chinese government-sponsored campaign to prevent the spreading of the Gospel before the Beijing Olympics.

Through reliable China Aid sources, which has been collaborated by at least five different mission agencies, the source told CAA on Tuesday that the Chinese government has embarked on a ‘massive’ expulsion campaign to rid the country of foreign Christians.

Citizens from six countries working in Xinjiang, Beijing and Tibet were targeted. According to private interviews conducted by CAA with some of the expelled American missionaries, the authorities have confiscated their passports for 2 to7 days and were prohibited to contact the US Embassy in Beijing. This is a direct violation of US-China consulate protection agreements and some cannot return to the country for 5 years.

This is the largest expulsion of foreign missionaries since 1954 when the Chinese Communist government expelled all foreign religious workers after taking power in 1949. The Chinese government refuses to recognize foreign missionary status in China so many missionaries choose to work in the education or business sectors as ways to stay in China.

Bob Fu, the president of the CAA, said the campaign to expel the missionaries were ‘misguided and counter-productive’ given their contribution to the Chinese people. He urged the government to correct this wrong and allow them back in.

"Given the significant contribution to the Chinese people made by those expelled foreigners, this campaign is certainly misguided and counter- productive," said Bob Fu, President of CAA. "We call upon the Chinese government to correct this wrong by allowing these selfless good-hearted people of faith back into China."

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