September 26, 2025
Web desk
China has rolled out fresh restrictions to curb the influence of religion on the internet. On September 15, the State Administration for Religious Affairs released a new “Code of Conduct for Religious Clergy on the Internet,” outlining 18 regulations that ban unapproved religious content from circulating online. The rules prohibit livestream sermons, digital courses, and even commercial religious promotions on platforms such as WeChat and other social media outlets. Use of artificial intelligence for spreading religious teachings — once a loophole for many evangelists — has also been closed.
The move is part of a broader campaign that President Xi Jinping first launched in 2016, aimed at tightening the Communist Party’s grip on religious expression under the policy of “Sinicization.” Authorities have stressed that online religion poses an ideological risk, potentially becoming what they call a “gray zone” of influence outside state control. A 2023 Pew Research study found that only 3% of Chinese people now consider religion very important in their lives, reflecting the impact of years of pressure.
Under the new code, clergy are instructed to guide religious activity in line with socialist values and national harmony. Anyone found in violation may face consequences ranging from censorship to losing their credentials — and in some cases, even criminal investigation. A senior Chinese cleric warned that the rules don’t just target believers inside China, but extend to foreign connections as well, labeling missionary contact as “infiltration.”
Despite the crackdown, Christian leaders are urging believers not to lose hope. Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles for China called on the faithful to pray for local leaders, asking that they be granted courage and creativity to continue serving their communities. “The call remains to follow God’s Word, not the mandates of man,” he said, underscoring the resilience of underground faith communities amid rising censorship.
