But he still supported the removal of China from the U.S. human rights abuser list. He compared the situation to a parent disciplining a child. When the child is “naughty” then the parent disciplines him, but when the child “gets better” then the parent should reward the child.
“We give them (children) candy but this does not mean that the children are perfect,” Li said. “The children still have a long way to go, a lot of things they need to learn.”
Li believes that while the Chinese government needs to be “pressed” to change, it should also be “encouraged” to improve.
Speaking from the perspective of a Chinese-American, Li pointed out that Americans and Westerners have an easier time understanding religious freedom than the Chinese government.
Americans understand that the U.S. government cannot put all Christians under one denomination. Christians cannot all fit under the Baptist denomination or under the Methodist denomination because they practice their faith differently.
“The [Chinese] government couldn’t understand why Christians would not want to work under its umbrella,” Li said. “I give you the freedom and established this organisation so you can register under my control and I can oversee you,” the religious freedom advocate said, explaining the way the Chinese government thinks. “Why don’t you join with us?”
In China, there are five government-sanctioned religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. A government-affiliated association monitors and supervises the activities of each of these faiths.
Protestant churches are required to register and operate under the government’s umbrella organization, the China Christian Council. But many protestant Christians refuse to work with the CCC, arguing that God is the head the church and not the government.
These “house” or “underground” churches gather in private homes and are often subjected to police raids and arrest, especially in rural areas.
Open Doors and many human rights groups have reported increased incidents of Christian persecution in China last year. China Aid Association in its annual update reported persecution worsened in 2007 compared to 2006.
Several Christian human rights groups recently accused the Chinese government of conducting a quieter persecution strategy aimed at house church leaders and avoiding massive arrests so as to avoid drawing international attention on its religious freedom violation ahead of the Olympic Games.
Open Doors’ 2008 World Watch List ranks China as the tenth worst persecutor of Christians in the world.
