by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - The International Christian Concern (ICC) non-governmental organization has received a new report that Chinese authorities threatened to send children from a church in Chengdu to re-education camps, Christian Today reports. ICC has previously reported that Chinese authorities had removed children from Christian families on the grounds that they were "trapped by an evil religion."
Liao Qiang of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu told ICC that Christians are increasingly persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CPC). Qiang said his church was shut down and congregation members are constantly harassed. The church pastor, Wang Yi, was imprisoned in 2018, ICC reported. Parents are also being told their children may be taken away and sent to re-education camps.
Having escaped to Taiwan, Qiang recalled: "The [Chinese authorities] not only threatened us, normal adult, normal church members, but they threatened our children. Some of our members have adopted children, and CPC forcibly sent the adoptive children back to the original family. That is the main reason why we fled China. Because we can't guarantee our adopted child would not be taken away by them."
In regard to what assistance might be provided to Chinese believers, Qiang said "The biggest help is to report the persecution. Report it fairly... What CPC is most afraid of is being exposed. They are afraid of transparency.” However, Qiang explained: We don't want the government or the public to pressure CPC because under such circumstances CPC will definitely intensify religious persecution. The worse China-US relations get, the more CPC persecutes Christians."