We, the undersigned, wish to express our deep concern at the growing and sustained campaign of repression being waged by government officials against the Christian church in a number of provinces in China under regulations introduced in February 2018.

As you will be aware churches have been destroyed or seen their crosses torn down, pastors arrested and imprisoned and those trying to represent them in the courts detained and even tortured.

As fellow Christians in the UK we do not understand why the state is so fearful of believers that it has to monitor and imprison them, when a nation as developed as China in the 21st century is strong enough to allow those with differing beliefs to exist side by side.

We respectfully call on your Government to rethink and repeal its new religious ordinance, which is even in violation of PRC's own Constitution. It targets citizens who want nothing more than to live out their faith in peace, and lawyers who desire only to uphold the rule of law. Both groups want the best for their nation and pose no threat to the Government, the state or the people of China.

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