By GIL BUTLER

CORRESPONDENT REPORT - 7/24/97

Voice of America

Beijing China says criticism of its treatment of religious believers is un-acceptable and may have ulterior motives. an official spokesman was reacting to a state department report on persecution of christians in 78 countries that included accounts of religious persecution in china. v-o-a's gil butler has more from beijing.

the state department's report which was mandated by the u-s congress says the government of china has tried to restrict all actual religious practices to government-authorized religious organizations and registered places of worship.

at a regular foreign ministry news briefing, spokesman tang guoqiang rejected the criticism.

he says china's constitution protects the religious freedom of chinese citizens, and there are more than 100-million religious people in china. he goes on to say they support the chinese government's religious policies.

the state department report says china's constitutional guarantees of religious freedom are regularly violated. roman catholics who recognize the authority of the pope are outlawed.

there are underground catholic and protestant churches, however, which chinese authorities have cracked down on this year. some non-christian believers such as muslims and tibetan buddhists have also complained about lack of religious freedom in china.

one response from the chinese government was a recent news conference for foreign journalists at which two officially approved protestant leaders spokeabout the rapid growth of their churches.

spokesman tang guoqiang said some western countries, including the united states, are not well aware of china's religious situation, and some criticize china with what he called ulterior motives.

mr. tang said that is un-acceptable and china is firmly against it. (signed)