The New York Times

Thursday, October 7, 1999

China Condemns U.S. on Criticisms

By The Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) -- China today criticized the U.S. government for condemning repression of unauthorized religious activities in China.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue expressed China's ``indignation and firm opposition'' and accused Congress of using the cause of religious freedom as an excuse to interfere in Chinese domestic affairs, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The United States should stop such interference to allow relations between the two countries to improve, Zhang said.

Chinese law provides full guarantees of religious freedom, the spokeswoman said. The Chinese government protects religious activity as long as it is regulated by the state and is within what officials deem ``normal religious activity.''

The U.S. State Department has designated China and six other countries for possible sanctions for having engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom, officials in Washington said Tuesday.

The secretary of state is authorized to choose from a variety of sanctions or waive them.

The statement comes four weeks after the State Department issued its first annual report on the state of religious freedom worldwide.

The report said Chinese government intolerance of unregistered religious activity has led in some areas to persecution of people, on the basis of religious practice, ``through harassment, prolonged detention and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps.''