A senior official on Sunday called on heads of Chinese religious
groups to unite patriotic religious figures and followers to make
greater contribution to the country's reform and modernization and
the building of a harmonious socialist society.
Jia
Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body
of the country, said at a seminar with heads of religious groups
that the religious groups in China made progress in their own
development last year.
While conducting wider exchanges with the religious communities
of other countries, the Chinese religious groups worked hard
against the infiltration from outside the country under the
disguise of religion, and thus made positive efforts for
safeguarding social stability and national security, Jia said. He
extended Spring Festival greetings to all religious figures and
followers throughout the country on behalf of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Hu
Jintao.
In the year of 2006, Jia said, the work of religious affairs
will be focused on uniting the broad masses of followers to
contribute to the country's modernization drive, while resisting
the outside infiltration under the disguise of religion. For the
healthy development of the religious community in China, Jia called
on religious groups to intensify training of the clergy, especially
the middle-aged and young, saying it is a pressing job.
(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2006)
