Government Leader Says Religions Can Play a Role in Creating a Harmonious Society

July 22, 2006

Source: China Daily

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/home/2006-07/22/content_646970.htm

On July 22, 2006 the China Daily reported, "China's religions, as an important part of the social force, may play an active role in helping build a harmonious society if they are properly guided, a top official who is in charge of the country's religious affairs said on Friday in Beijing. Ye Xiaowen, director of the State Administration of Religious Affairs, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the Xinhua News Agency, the first since Ye took office a decade ago in a country with more than 100 million people of faith. 'Religions are one of the social forces that are worth much attention in the country's social and economic construction,' he said. 'They can play an active yet unique role in many aspects.' Ye said the Chinese Government would enhance their supervision to help the religions restrain their negative elements and promote their positive ones in accordance with the law and the established practice of running religious affairs in an independent and self-supportive way... Ye said all Chinese religions including officially sanctioned Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism can tap the positive elements in their tenets and teachings and combine them with China's current situation."