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World News

Hong Kong bishop: China "trampling" on Christianity through cross removals

by Aaron James

Most Revd Paul Kwong also showed scepticism over the government's reasoning for taking the crosses down.

Authorities have previously said they have taken down church crosses because of "health and safety" concerns, but Most Revd Kwong has said if this really was the case, it would allow churches to replace the crosses for smaller equivalents, rather than forcefully remove them permanently.

He has also written to the director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, Wang Zuoan, urging for a resolution to be made.

Archbisbop Kwong is a member Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a group of political delegates from various organisations which advise the government on policy.

He has traditionally been seen as supportive of the Chinese state, making his comments all the more poignant.

Mr Kwong told his diocesan newspaper The Echo: "Placing a cross on top of a church is a common practice in Christianity. If the Zhejiang authorities think there is a safety concern to have an oversized cross, it only needs to order the church to change for a smaller one.

"Now that the authorities forcefully removed the cross without obvious and immediate danger, it is damaging religious freedom and trampling on Christianity."

Various reports say the Chinese government has taken down more than 1,200 crosses in the past two years, and completely demolished several other churches.

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