U.S. Report Condemns China’s Ongoing Crackdown on Religious Freedom

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has strongly criticized China’s communist regime for continuing its “corrosive sinicization policy” against religious communities. The commission’s 2025 annual report described China’s religious freedom conditions as “among the worst in the world” due to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing efforts to control and suppress religious practices.

During the report’s launch, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, condemned the regime’s actions, describing them as a “full-scale assault on faith” and a denial of individual dignity. He highlighted atrocities like the Uyghur genocide, the destruction of mosques, forced sterilizations, and the rewriting of sacred texts to promote communist propaganda.

The USCIRF report noted that the CCP’s crackdown targets several religious groups, including Muslim Uyghurs, Hui Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, and Falun Gong practitioners. Authorities use advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and mass surveillance to monitor and control these communities.

Among the individuals named in the report was Protestant pastor Kan Xiaoyong, sentenced to 14 years in prison in January 2024 on what the USCIRF described as “groundless allegations.” The report also mentioned Xu Na, a Falun Gong practitioner sentenced to eight years in prison in 2022 for providing information to The Epoch Times about the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline rooted in truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, has faced severe persecution since 1999, when the CCP ordered its eradication, fearing its popularity. More than 70 million people practiced Falun Gong at the time, according to official estimates. Millions have since been detained, tortured, or killed in prisons, labor camps, and other facilities.

The report highlighted U.S. efforts to address the persecution of Falun Gong, citing federal cases like that of Li Ping, a Florida engineer sentenced to four years for aiding China’s intelligence in monitoring dissidents, and John Chen, a U.S. citizen imprisoned for attempting to manipulate the IRS to revoke the nonprofit status of Shen Yun Performing Arts, a group that raises awareness about the CCP’s human rights abuses.

The report also referenced Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, accused of spying for China. Sun allegedly blocked the governor from publicly addressing the mass detention of Uyghurs based on feedback from a Chinese official.

The USCIRF report urged the U.S. government to redesignate China as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. It also recommended imposing sanctions on Chinese officials involved in religious persecution and tightening restrictions on China’s use of technologies contributing to human rights violations.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) stressed the need to confront the CCP’s denial of abuses, advocating for the fundamental right to freely choose and practice one’s faith. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) emphasized the importance of addressing China’s systematic repression of religious minorities.

USCIRF Vice Chair Meir Soloveichik called for a concerted effort to safeguard religious freedom worldwide, while USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck urged the U.S. government to maintain its firm stance against violations of this “universal right.”

The report reflects the ongoing challenges faced by religious communities in China and the global responsibility to address these severe human rights abuses.