By News18

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Beijing, Sep 29 (PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said religions in the Communist nation should “further adapt” to the socialist society, expanding on his earlier assertion of sinicization of religions in China.
He emphasised the importance of ensuring that religions in China further adapt to the Chinese context, state-run Xinhua news agency reported Xi also called for providing active guidance to religions so that they can adapt to a socialist society while he was presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Since he came to power in 2012, Xi, 72, has been reorienting the ruling Communist Party’s policies on religion, realigning them with Marxist ideology. In July this year, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, while answering a question, defended the “sinicization” of Tibetan Buddhism and other religions under the guidelines issued by Xi Jinping.
“I believe that sinicization of religion is not about restricting religious practice; rather, all religions must adapt to the social, cultural and historical context of the country. “Tibetan Buddhism in China is a prime example of a religion that has integrated Chinese characteristics, exemplifying the process of sinicization,” Mao said.
China says it has religious freedom, but it should function within the parameters set by the party.
It is not yet clear what the religions should do to further adapt to Chinese conditions.
Referring to the reforms he brought about since 2012, Xi said the Party has put forward a series of new ideas and measures, including the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation.
Adapting religions in China to the Chinese context is key to achieving religious harmony, ethnic unity, social harmony and long-term stability of the country, he said.
He also called for efforts to guide religious figures and believers to develop an accurate understanding of the country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion.
He said religions in China can only be passed down healthily by always having their roots in the Chinese culture, and require efforts to promote the integration of religions with fine traditional Chinese culture.
Xi noted that managing religious affairs in accordance with the law is the fundamental way to properly handle contradictions and issues in the field of religion, and underscored the need to improve relevant regulations and policies.
Xi’s comments on religion come in the backdrop of his recent visit to Tibet and Xinjiang, the two sprawling provinces which still retain their religious identity after over seven decades of CPC rule and crackdown against them.
While Buddhism is still well entrenched in Tibet decades after the Dalai Lama left for exile to Dharamshala in India, Uygur Muslims remained the majority community in Xinjiang, where the UN and international human rights groups alleged large-scale detentions of Uygurs. China has banned the militant group the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which Beijing accuses of fighting for a separate homeland for Uygur Muslims. PTI KJV RD RD