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INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 3224

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 CHENGDU 000272 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
2ND C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDING SENSITIVE CAPTION) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PGOV SOCI CH
SUBJECT: GUIDE TO OFFICIAL RELIGIOUS RESTRICTIONS IN SOUTHWEST 
CHINA'S PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF KUNMING 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  001.3 OF 009 
 
 
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FOR CHRISTINA COLLINS 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, G/DRL FOR SUSAN O'SULLIVAN 
REF: A) CPP200412200000193 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  The religious activities of the official 
350,000 Muslims - , Protestants, Buddhists and Catholics in 
Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in Southwest China, are 
organized according to both national and local religious affairs 
regulations.  While the 2004 State Council regulations enunciate 
principles and provide general guidance, local religious affairs 
regulations give more specific guidance and thus a sharper 
picture of the restrictions that believers can face on a 
day-to-day basis.  A 2003 report from the Kunming City Religious 
Affairs Bureau and local religious affairs regulations 
illustrate "religious crime and punishment" and the special 
concerns of implementing authorities.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) This is the first of three reports on religion in 
Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwestern China. 
 
Local Rules, Bureau Report Depict Religious Restrictions and 
Accommodations 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Local guidance for religious affairs regulations 
enforcement officials, although varying somewhat from place to 
place, give us a more detailed picture of  both the system of 
control and the actual restrictions which local believers in 
Kunming face than do national regulations.  When combined with 
the 2003 report of the Kunming Religious Affairs Bureau, 
(translated by Congen in full below) on its enforcement 
activities and priorities, a picture emerges of an official 
system that can severely circumscribe religious activities, 
while also accommodating to a certain extent the needs of 
religious believers. 
 
¶4. (U) Chinese Communist Party overall policy on religion is 
stated frankly in the 2003 Red Flag Publishing House book 
"Practical Handbook for Party Propaganda Work, New Edition" : 
"As Lenin said, poverty and ignorance are the roots of 
religion~. We can only implement a policy of religious freedom 
and not a policy of compulsion.  Under the policy of religious 
freedom, through scientific education of the people and 
ideological and political work, we will gradually weaken the 
roots of religion." 
 
Provincial and Local Religious Rules Define Restrictions on 
Believers 
 
¶5. (SBU) The PRC national "Religious Affairs Regulations" 
published by the State Council in 2004 (ref A) and a variety of 
local regulations which vary according to the presence of 
different religious communities and local concerns.  In Kunming, 
capital of the southern border province of Yunnan, the Kunming 
Religious Affairs Bureau in 2003 counted in Kunming and adjacent 
counties subordinate to Kunming "more than 350,000 religious 
believers or about 7.2% of Kunming's population.  These people 
include believers in Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestant 
Christianity, and Catholicism.  About 60 percent of the 
believers belong to national minorities."  (Note:  according to 
local contacts, it is likely that official statistics 
underestimate the number of religious believers in Kunming and 
other areas of Yunnan Province.  Official statistics, of course, 
would not be inclusive of underground churches. End Note).  The 
Kunming Religious Affairs Bureau is guided in its religious law 
enforcement work by the 2004 PRC Religious Affairs Regulations, 
other national regulations such as the 1994 State Council 
"Regulations on the Religious Activities of Foreigners in the 
PRC Mainland," and local regulations such as the 1998 "Kunming 
City Regulations on the Management of Religious Venues". 
 
Kunming 1998 Religious Venue Management Regulations 
 
¶6. (U)  PRC national religious affairs regulations are general 
and provide guidance to local religious affairs bureaus.  Local 
regulations are more specific and give guidance to officials 
carrying out religious law enforcement work. 
 
¶7. (U)  For example, the 1998 "Kunming City Regulations on the 
Management of Religious Venues" provide that the democratic 
management committees of religious venues shall: 
 
--Teach the congregation about government religious policy, to 
support the leadership of the Communist Party and the socialist 
system, 
-- Oppose preaching without prior official permission, 
-- Oppose private convening of religious meetings, and 
-- Oppose foreign infiltration of religious activities. 
-- Ensure that religious workers or believers may not give money 
or do good works in the community to win a good reputation for 
their faith or accept foreign contributions. 
In addition, the regulations state that: 
-- Nobody other than the democratic management committee 
personnel or a religious worker may give a speech or give out 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  002.3 OF 009 
 
 
leaflets or put up posters in a religious venue. 
--Violations are punishable by fines of up to RMB 30,000 and 
removal of unauthorized facilities. 
 
¶8.  (U)  Throughout southwest China over the last several years 
lists of laws justifying each type of enforcement action and 
penalties have been posted in public and put on official 
websites in increasing numbers.  Several 2007 guides for Kunming 
City religious affairs bureau enforcement officials give a 
close-up view of the specific religious affairs rules being 
enforced and their basis in national, provincial and city laws, 
regulations and ordinances. 
 
2007 Enforcement Guide for Religious Affairs Enforcement 
 
¶9. (U)  A 2007 Kunming Religious Affairs Bureau guide entitled 
"Types of Enforcement Actions and the Offices Responsible" lists 
national, provincial and local laws and regulations applicable 
to various types of violations religious regulations and the 
office in the Bureau responsible for their enforcement.  These 
rules include: 
 
-- Incidents that disrupt public order during large religious 
activities can, in serious instances, result in the cancellation 
of the registration of the religious venue.  Up to three times 
the amount of contributions made at an illegal religious meeting 
at an unregistered venue or for unauthorized religious 
activities at an authorized venue may be confiscated. 
-- A religious venue that organized a pilgrimage abroad without 
authorization may have its registration revoked and pay a fine 
of up to three times the amount of money collected for that 
illegal purpose. 
-- Receiving contributions from foreigners in violation of 
regulations can result in serious cases of the removal of the 
director of the religious venue, as well as cancellation of the 
venue registration and confiscation of the illegal 
contributions. 
-- Failure to make a timely report of a serious incident at a 
religious venue 
-- Unauthorized alteration in the registration of a religious 
venue or failure to organize the religious venue according to 
the requirements of the Religious Affairs Bureau. 
 
Other potential offenses include: 
-- Failure to abide by the principle that religious activities 
are autonomous and self-supporting.  Unauthorized foreign 
support or influence is punishable according to the seriousness 
by a warning, cessation of religious activities, or cancellation 
of registration.  In serious cases, the local people's 
government will be asked to handle the matter according to law. 
-- Repairing or building large religious statues outdoors 
without authorization. 
-- Failure to accept supervision by the Religious Affairs Bureau 
-- Establishing an unauthorized religious venue, or continuing 
to operation a venue for which the registration has been 
cancelled. 
-- Violating the rule against unauthorized outdoor religious 
activities. 
 
¶10. (U)  The Panlong District of Kunming, in which many Muslims 
live, pays special attention to enforcement of the "Kunming City 
Muslim Food Products Regulations".  Fines are imposed on Halal 
products not properly labeled or not produced or animal 
slaughtered according to Muslim religious rules.  Other Kunming 
City regulations also address religious sensitivities.  For 
example, Kunming City regulations provide that a pig 
slaughtering site shall be at least 500 meters from the nearest 
mosque and that anyone who desecrates a mosque by bringing pork 
into the mosque will be fined 800 RMB. 
 
A View from the Kunming Religious Affairs Bureau (2003) 
 
¶11. (U)  The most revealing account of official attitudes and 
problems in religious affairs comes from a 2003 report of the 
Kunming Religious Affairs Bureau to the Kunming City People's 
Congress.  The 2003 report is available online; more recent 
reports are not.  A full translation of the report is appended 
below.  The report reflects concerns about the work of foreign 
missionaries, the growth of Christian congregations, 
disagreements with certain Muslim and Protestant congregations, 
and Catholic underground and Protestant house churches.  The 
report below also mentions Kunming City Religious Affairs Bureau 
efforts to accommodate some requests from believers such as 
establishing new religious venues as the distribution of members 
of various faiths in Kunming City changes. 
 
 
¶12. (U) Begin text of Consulate General Chengdu Translation of 
Kunming City Religious Affairs Bureau 2003 Report to the Kunming 
City People's Congress on Religious Affairs Enforcement Work and 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  003.3 OF 009 
 
 
Problems: 
 
Report on the Implementation of the "Kunming City Regulations 
for Management of Religious Venues" 
 
-- July 23, 2003 in Kunming the 15th session of the 11th NPC 
Standing Committee, a report by Jin Taming of the Kunming 
Religious Affairs Bureau 
 
Director and Deputy Director, the Secretary-General and Members: 
I was asked by the Kunming Municipal government Committee to 
report on the implementation and enforcement of the "Kunming 
City Regulations for Management of Places where Religious 
Activities are Held" (referred to below as "the Regulations"). 
 
Kunming is a multi-religious provincial capital near China's 
international border.  There are more that 350,000 religious 
believers or about 7.2% of Kunming's population.  These people 
include believers in Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestant 
Christianity, and Catholicism.  About 60 percent of the 
believers belong to national minorities. 
 
According to 2003 annual inspection statistics, the county level 
and above people's governments had approved 567 legally 
registered religious venues. These include: 
-- 92 Buddhist monasteries and temples, 
-- 3 Daoist temples, 
-- 123 mosques, 
-- 346 Protestant churches [Note this includes small gathering 
places in rural areas. The 2007 figure is 360. End note] and 
-- 3 Catholic Churches. 
 
There are five religious groups organized at the city level in 
Kunming City: 
-- The Buddhist Association of Kunming, 
-- The Kunming Islamic Association, 
-- The Kunming City of the Three-Selfs  Patriotic Association, 
[Note: The Three Selfs are Self-administration, Self-support and 
Self-propagation. End note] 
-- The Protestant Christian Association of Kunming, 
-- The Kunming Patriotic Catholic Association 
 
As well as seven county-level religious organizations: 
-- The Three Selfs Protestant Patriotic Associations of Luquan 
County, of Xundian County, of Fumin County, and of Kunming's 
Xishan District; 
-- The County Islamic Associations of Sundial County and of 
Singing County; and 
-- The Buddhist Association of Sundial County. 
 
The places of religious activities of Kunming City and its 
subordinate counties are about one-tenth of the total for Yunnan 
Province and are the religious focus of one-sixth of Yunnan's 
population. 
 
Religious affairs work is by nature, long-term, complex, 
group-oriented, and connected to both domestic ethnic and 
international matters.  This makes handling religious affairs 
properly very important. 
 
Managing religious affairs according to law is an important part 
of governing the country according to law and is an objective 
requirement of modern social development. 
 
On July 29, 1999 the Kunming City People's Congress approved and 
implemented  the "Kunming City Regulations for Management of 
Places where Religious Activities are Held".  These regulations 
provided an important legal basis for the management of 
religious affairs in the city. 
 
Several years of experience since then have demonstrated that 
the "regulations" created a legal framework for managing 
religious venues and promoted the protection of the legal rights 
of the religious parties, the adjustment of the various 
relationships between the religious parties and society, the 
maintenance of the unity and stability of the religious parties, 
and helped religious parties and socialist society adjust to one 
another. 
 
Here is the report: 
 
Part One:  Implementation of the Regulations 
 
 (I) In a variety of ways propaganda and educational activities 
were done so that the regulations would become known.  The 
Kunming city government immediately ordered that the regulations 
become a priority for propaganda and education priority 
throughout the city. 
 
In accordance with the city ordinance, in the city and in 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  004.3 OF 009 
 
 
counties subordinate to the city, news media propagandized the 
regulations; the Municipal Bureau of Religious Affairs published 
the "Regulations" in poster form which were posted at all the 
legally registered religious places in the city.  The 
regulations were printed in booklets and distributed to groups 
of believers and to the appropriate departments, units, groups 
and individuals. Every level of each organization involved in 
religious work held training sessions for cadres and religious 
personnel of religion on policy and rule by law, focusing on the 
Regulations.  Classes focused on religion policy and 
regulations. Religious organizations and places of religious 
activities organized study sessions in various ways for their 
team members, staff and religious personnel and believers. 
 
In order that the regulations could be implemented in grassroots 
religious activity places, a responsibility system based on 
management by objectives was implemented in each locality. 
 
Between each level of religious work departments at all levels 
as well as between the religious work departments of each 
religious work department in key counties and cities and the 
townships, responsibility agreements were signed for each of the 
religious venues in the areas that they cover.   The 
responsibility agreement for management by objectives laid out 
the different areas and provided for giving a quantitative score 
for checking on actual implementation. 
 
Through this work, city religious work cadres, religious 
personnel, members of organizations managing religious activity 
places, and believers studied in depth the Regulations. 
 
Religious work cadres by acquiring a deeper understanding of the 
contents and spirit of the Regulations come to better understand 
their responsibilities.  They also acquire both political 
responsibility as well as responsibility for their work. 
 
 (II) Making reasonable arrangements for venues for religious 
activities and continually improve the self-management capacity 
of management organizations in order to implement the Party's 
religious policy are essential to the normal conduct of 
religious activities. 
 
The "Regulations" stipulate that "the establishment of venues 
for religious activities is subject to the approval of the 
people's governments at or above the county level, registration 
is done in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 
religious affairs departments and annual inspections." 
 
Since the "Regulations" were enacted, religious work departments 
at all levels have investigated the reasonable distribution of 
religious venues and determined that they were established 
according to law.   They have according to circumstances changed 
religious activities places that had been moved less suitable 
locations to more suitable locations. 
 
For example, as a result of the Zhangjiuhe River water diversion 
project some of the people who had to move were Christians and 
seven Christian religious venues were removed.  Therefore, 
according to the distribution of the migrants, new Christian 
religious venues were approved in Sayingpan Town, Luquan County; 
Dabanqiao Township, Guandu District; and Yanglin Township, 
Sangming County.  In order to solve the problem of their being 
too few Buddhist temples and monasteries for Kunming Buddhists, 
the opening of over 20 monasteries was approved.  Owing to the 
renovation of the city, many Muslims have moved to new 
residences that are far from their old mosques.  Accordingly, 
provisional Muslim activity centers were established at 
Wangqiying Subdistrict and Fengning Subdistrict. 
 
In order to solve the religious life difficulties of foreign 
Christians working in Kunming, a Christian religious activity 
venue for foreigners was established. 
 
The rational distribution of religious venues makes the life of 
believers more convenient and satisfies their normal need for 
religious life.  This also helps reduce the private 
establishment of Protestant Christian gathering places and the 
unauthorized establishment of small temples and shrines. 
 
Several petitions from Daoist believers have requested the 
restoration of the Daoist Association and the opening of places 
for Daoist religious activities.  The history and situation of 
Daoism have been examined and a proposal for the restoration of 
the Daoist Religion Association and the appropriate opening of 
places for Daoist religious activities has been submitted. 
 
According to the law on the establishment of religious venues, 
religious work departments at all levels in accordance with the 
"Regulations" handle strictly all registrations and approvals. 
Moreover, according to the stipulations of the "Regulations" 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  005.3 OF 009 
 
 
they also strengthen education of the management personnel of 
religious venues on the organization and ideological 
construction of places for religious activities. The conduct 
training classes and seminars that study the Party's policy on 
religion, the applicable national laws and regulations, daily 
management, helps them set up a charter and system for their 
place of religious activities and to conduct democratic 
management. 
 
Thus far, throughout the city legally registered religious 
venues have established democratic management organizations, 
developed a relatively complete system for handling including 
religious affairs, financial affairs, allocation of 
responsibilities, meetings and procedures as well as management 
systems including fire safety management.  Thus religious venues 
are run according both the law and their own charters.  In this 
way, the responsibilities of staff are clarified and everyone 
has a greater sense of responsibility for their work.  Their 
work style in handling religious matters democratically and 
their autonomy also increases as a result. 
 
Annual inspections for religious venues are an important way to 
institutionalize the self-management and norms.  In order to 
perform the annual inspections well, the entire city government 
from top to bottom designated people to take the lead in various 
areas.   Appropriate leaders took part in the annual inspection 
leading groups.  Each religious work department according to the 
requirements and procedure for the annual inspection and the 
actual situation in each locality uses its creativity to handle 
matters.  They combine the annual inspection with education and 
propaganda about the Party's religious policy and applicable 
laws.  The results of ordinary inspections, the annual 
inspection, daily management and the annual evaluation  as well 
as selection of the "Five Best" religious activity venues  are 
all combined so that the annual inspection is an occasion for 
additional study of laws and regulations, more education, and 
for remarking on what is good and correcting mistakes. 
 
Annual inspections promote adherence to law by managers of 
religious venues, their conduct of normal religious activities 
and their self-awareness about opposing illegal religious 
activities. 
 
The pass rate for the religious activities venues through the 
city has for several years reached the standard.  This promotes 
the improvement in the self management of the religious venues 
and their operation according to norms. 
 
Although the focus on venues for religious activities has been 
on building compliance to rules and procedures, infrastructure 
has also been improved. 
 
Religious work departments at all levels in accordance with the 
"Regulations" actively help organize and coordinate the 
management of places and raise funds to improve housing, 
renovate dilapidated houses,  put in greenery and do landscaping 
work,  and protect ancient cultural relics. 
 
The renovation of the 500 Lohan Palace at the Qiongzhu Temple, 
the renovation of the basilica of the Shun City mosque, Manjusri 
Temple Luquan County annex, the new Cloud Village Christian 
Church, etc. have all improved the city's religious venues and 
improved the quality of religious life of believers, and 
furthered social development and improved coordination with the 
surrounding environment. 
 
(III)  Protect the legitimate rights and interests of religious 
parties according to law;  deter and combat the use of religion 
to engage in illegal and criminal activities 
 
Protect the legitimate rights and interests of religious 
circles, quickly and appropriately deal with difficult and 
passionate religious matters, preserve social order where 
difficult problems and emergencies arise.  This is an important 
part of the Regulations. 
 
This work is carried out generally in the following way: 
 
First, regularly check on unstable factors, and insist on a 
quarterly investigation and analysis system, grasp the situation 
quickly, defusing conflicts, and take the initiative in order to 
ensure religious unity and stability. 
 
Second, through publicity and studying and implementing the 
"Regulations" encourage and help the venues for religious 
activities to strengthen their internal management, enhance 
solidarity and co-ordination, and promptly resolve and deal with 
some internal religious conflicts, controversies and difficult 
issues. 
 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  006.3 OF 009 
 
 
For example: 
-- Properly resolving the internal conflicts in a small number 
of mosques in the Huadong District and the Dongchuan District; 
-- Making changes in the personnel managing some religious 
venues that do not have a well functioning management system and 
have been criticized relatively frequently by the masses. 
-- Settling the problem of lack of unity among some Protestant 
Christian faiths; 
-- According to the spirit of the Central Committee's guidance, 
strengthen our guidance work with the Catholics; 
-- Changing and bringing up to full strength the membership of 
the management committee of the Catholic Church on Beijing Road; 
-- Establishing a Catholic Affairs Management organization in 
Shilin County, 
-- Strengthening efforts to change the views of some of the 
people who are relatively influential in the Catholic 
underground, so as to ensure stability in Catholic circles 
throughout the city. 
 
 Thirdly, 
-- Effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of 
religious circles, 
-- Promptly resolve the offended feelings of religious people, 
and potential problems that could affect normal religious 
activities, 
-- Do not allow external factors to affect the unity and 
stability of religious circles. 
 
For example: 
-- In thoroughly exposing "Falungong", quickly help a small 
minority in the Buddhist community resolve their 
misunderstanding about the "wheel of the law" [falun] symbol; 
-- Appropriately resolving the appearance in some publications 
of materials that offend the Muslim community; 
-- Coordinating efforts to solve problems in urban renovation 
that involve the demolition and moving of some religious venues, 
providing for compensation and reconstruction. 
-- In these and other matters, for example, considering the 
requests of believers in Daoism for the restoration of the 
Daoist Religion Association and Daoist religious places; 
-- Considering the request of Christian believers in Kunyang, 
Jinning County people for implementing the religious properties 
policy and returning to them the Christ Church; 
-- Complaints of believers of the Haiyuan Temple about 
incursions onto temple land by the temple's neighbors.  A 
patient and careful investigation was made in order to resolve 
the matters within the framework of religious affairs policy. 
 
Actively support work to meet the needs of believers who were 
moved because of the Chengyunlong Zhangjiuhe River Luquan 
reservoir waterworks project.  Make arrangements for religious 
venues for the migrants in order to dispel their concerns so 
that they will go along with the relocation plan. 
 
Fourthly, combat the illegal use of religion to engage in 
various kinds of criminal activities.  Oppose the efforts of 
enemy forces both inside and outside the PRC mainland to use 
religion to infiltrate China. 
 
-- In Luquan County, does persuasion work with followers of the 
"xiaozhong religion" [Translator's note: a Christian millenarian 
breakaway sect that originated in Yunnan in the 1970s that 
rejects Party guidance and so is suppressed.  End note.] And 
prevent the hardcore followers of "xiaozhong religion" from 
holding illegal meetings. 
-- Act swiftly to stop the bad influence of South Korean 
Protestants infiltrate Luquan and carrying on illegal training. 
-- In Suning County,  two foreigners established illegal 
Christian religious venues: a South Korean in a garden and a 
Singaporean in the home of an urban resident. 
-- The illegal activities of three Americans and eight foreign 
Christians in a mountain vacation resort in Fu County were 
stopped. 
 
This work, not only contributes to Kunming's religious unity and 
stability and its social stability have been maintained for the 
city's social stability but also to economic construction. 
 
(IV)   Focus on religious work, build the "Two Teams" and ensure 
that the Regulations are carried out. 
 
Strengthening religious work and building the Two Teams - the 
ranks of religious affairs cadres and religious personnel -- are 
key to implementation of the Regulations.  In order to build up 
these two teams, religious affairs cadres need to improve their 
ideological character and so conscientiously study 
Marxist-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and 
the "Three Represents" important thinking.  We need to develop 
an in-depth understanding of the Marxist perspective on religion 
and the principles and policies on religious affairs work of the 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  007.3 OF 009 
 
 
Communist Party in the socialist period.  Secondly, cadres need 
to focus on study and training on policies, laws and regulations 
to guide their practical work.  Thirdly, develop and raise the 
capacity of cadres to do their administrative work according to 
the law. 
 
Through training and assessments, the city's religious affairs 
work department staff becomes qualified to do administrative law 
enforcement work throughout Kunming.  The departments typically 
set up a responsibility system for administrative work. The 
responsibility for mistakes is determined and penalties are 
assessed accordingly.  This ensures that the work of the 
religious affairs cadres is performed strictly according to 
norms and so the general capacity to enforce administrative law 
is raised.  Fourth, cadres need to master general religious 
knowledge, and become skilled at using Marxist perspectives to 
understand and resolve problems in religious affairs work. 
 
Training sessions, meetings at which situation reports are 
presented, and regular visits are among the methods of 
educating religious workers  on policy, law, political and 
current affairs and the duties required of them in their current 
situation.   This aims at raising their understanding of 
"Patriotic Education", "Administering Religious Affairs 
According to Law", and "Administering Religious Affairs 
Democratically". 
 
Continually improving the quality of the religious affairs 
cadres and of religious workers improves the implementation of 
the "Regulations". 
 
Although we have already done a lot of work on the 
implementation of the "Regulations", there are still some 
deficiencies. 
 
In brief, the depth and breadth of propaganda and education is 
inadequate.  The dialogue on the reasonable distribution of 
religious venues to meet changes in the situation is still not 
satisfactory.  There are still some leftover problems on the 
implementation of the return to religious properties.   We also 
need to strengthen work on stopping and combating illegal 
activities carried out under the guise of religion and oppose 
infiltration efforts by those by within and without the China 
mainland. 
 
We will work to remedy these deficiencies in the future. 
 
Part Two:  Suggestions on Future Work. 
 
Religious work is an important part of work for the Party and 
the country.  It has an important place in the work of the Party 
and the country to transform the overall situation. 
 
Religious work affects the flesh-and-blood ties between the 
Party and the masses, the construction of material and spiritual 
civilization, strengthening national unity, maintaining social 
order, and maintaining national security and national unity. 
 
In future work, we have to conscientiously make use of the 
"Three Represents" important thinking. Close political 
monitoring and proper handling of religious affairs is essential 
to the long and peaceful rule of the Party and the state and 
maintaining the stable development of reform.  We need to better 
appreciate the importance of religious work and improve our 
awareness and feelings of responsibility for implementing the 
Regulations.  We need to continually improve our work, overcome 
our shortcomings and make the proper links between various 
aspects of our work. 
 
We need to better implement the Regulations, strengthen the 
government's management of religious affairs, and ensure the 
unity and stability of the leadership of religious circles. 
Therefore we need to unify and educate the masses of believers 
and focus their strength on our common goal of building a new 
Kunming.  In this way we can make a positive contribution to the 
construction of spiritual and material civilization in our city. 
 
 (I) Continually carry out propaganda and education on the 
Regulations, and improve the laws and regulations. 
 
With regards to the deficiencies in propaganda and education 
mentioned above, we need to improve the breadth and depth of 
propaganda and educational work among religious affairs cadres 
and religious workers, at religious venues and among the masses 
of believers.  We need to educate cadres working in other areas 
as well as to broaden the scope of education about the 
Regulations. 
 
As new circumstances and new situations arise, we will study and 
resolve new problems and devise new rules and charters based on 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  008.3 OF 009 
 
 
these new circumstances.  This will make the Regulations more 
specific and help implement them on a deeper level. 
 
On this basis, in accordance with the requirements of the 
Central Committee and the guidance of the relevant state 
departments, combined with the actual situation in Kunming, we 
will study and draft other rules for regulating religious 
affairs and other areas of society in line with the National 
People's Congress Standing Committee guidance on strengthening 
legislative work on the regulation of religious venues.   This 
will strengthen the basis for our management of religious 
affairs so that norms and a legal system is well established for 
managing religious affairs in our city 
 
(II)  Continue implementing the Party's religious affairs policy 
and devise new solutions as circumstances change. 
 
In this area, we need to focus on adapting to changing 
circumstances, taking a practical approach, and solve the 
problem of the reasonable distribution of religious venues. 
 
Our key problem is solving the problem of religious venues for 
the religious believers who have moved because of urban renewal 
in Kunming.  This includes choosing a new location for religious 
venues that were torn down. . 
 
Second, we should continue to pay close attention to resolving 
religious property including remaining issues concerning 
religious venues. 
 
When working on studying these issues with related departments, 
hold to the principles of "Respect history, address realities, 
reasonable consultation,   properly resolves difficulties". 
 
 (III)  Continually strengthen management of religious affairs 
according to law, maintain the unity and stability religious 
circles. 
 
The heart of the matter is upholding the law and fighting 
illegality, resisting infiltration and fighting crime. 
 
In combining the realities of Kunming with the implementation of 
the "Regulations", we will need to focus on some difficult 
issues. 
 
These include illegal gatherings by Christians, preaching 
without getting permission, indiscriminate development of the 
numbers of believers, the rise of separatist forces, building of 
small Buddhist temples without permission, the casting of large 
numbers of plastic images of the Buddha.  As China continues 
it's opening to the outside world, forces both within and 
without mainland China are using religion to infiltrate China. 
 
As the "Regulations" call for, we established an organization 
for enforcing the law, strengthening law enforcement methods, 
and for stopping and fighting illegal activities. 
 
At the same time we need to guarantee freedom of religion and 
belief, guarantee that normal religious activities can be 
conducted, and the legal rights of religious venues. 
 
We need to help organizations managing religious venues do their 
work properly.  We need to boost their self-management capacity, 
 to interact positively with socialism, and effectively stop 
infiltration from the outside and illegal activities. 
 
(D) We need to continually strengthen the ranks of religious 
affairs cadres and of religious workers in order to ensure the 
implementation of the "Regulations". 
 
Setting out from the specific needs of Kunming, we must attain 
the goal of "doing religious work according to the needs of the 
new situation and keeping close watch on the political and 
overall situation and be able to work at a fairly high 
theoretical and policy level.  We need to enrich specialized 
knowledge of religion and the attention to detail of religious 
affairs cadres".   Through continual training and practical 
experience we will greatly improve the quality of the ranks of 
religious affairs workers.  By choosing outstanding young people 
to join the ranks of religious affairs cadres, and appropriately 
hiring highly qualified, specialized personnel we will gradually 
improve the quality of the religious affairs cadres and a fine 
religious affairs law enforcement organization.  This 
organization will link up effectively with other law enforcement 
organizations, clarify responsibilities and so by working 
together strengthen management overall. 
 
In response to the shortage of qualified religious personnel, we 
need to increase training. Assist religious groups in a planned 
and step-by-step manner, at different levels and in various ways 
 
CHENGDU 00000272  009.3 OF 009 
 
 
cultivate young and middle-aged patriotic and law-abiding 
religious workers with higher religious attainments.  These 
people will be the backbone of the new generation of patriotic 
education.  In order to make full use of this increased 
training, strengthen education and guidance to grassroots 
religious venues; improve both the quality and the management of 
religious activities.   This will ensure that the leadership 
authority over religious venues is in the hands of patriotic 
people.  This will ensure the healthy and stable development of 
the various religious activities that take place in Kunming. 
 
Please give consider and accept this report. 
 
End translated text 
 
Source Texts Mentioned Above: 
 
Text of PRC Religious Affairs Regulations (English translation 
from the Open Source Center: CPP20041220000193) 
Chinese language texts: 
-- 1998 "Kunming City Regulations on the Management of Religious 
Venues" online on PRC website with URL abbreviated as 
http://www.tinyurl.com/2w87pf 
-- 2003 Kunming City Religious Affairs Bureau Report to the 
Kunming City People's Congress "Report on the Implementation of 
the "Kunming City Regulations for Management of Religious 
Venues" http://www.tinyurl.com/2njrjv 
-- (2005 or later) Kunming City Pan long District National 
Minorities and Religious Affairs Bureau Enforcement 
Responsibilities   http://www.tinyurl.com/2qndoy 
--  (2005 or later)  Fumin County National Minorities and 
Religious Affair Bureau Enforcement Responsibilities 
http://www.tinyurl.com/2wzg9c 
--  2007  Kunming City Religious Affairs Bureau "Types of 
Enforcement Actions and Office Responsible for Enforcement" 
http://www.tinyurl.com/ystn8c 
-- Zhao Guoliang and Zheng Yuyan, editors, "Practical Handbook 
for Party Propaganda Work, New Edition" [Xinbian dangde 
xuanchuan gongzuo shiyong shouce], Beijing, 2003, Red Flag 
Publishing House, p. 125. 
BOUGHNER