Exclusive: Taiwanese pastors visited China’s United Front and Taiwan Affairs offices as Beijing sought religious support for ‘national rejuvenation’

Taiwanese Christian pastors began organizing visits to China in 2011, with itineraries that connected them to the country’s religious affairs, United Front and Taiwan Affairs authorities. The exchanges were later presented as a bridge between churches, but they also brought Taiwanese religious figures into direct contact with Beijing’s political and religious systems.

The first delegation was led by Wei Ti-hsiang, chairman of the Dandelion Hope Foundation, and included members from different denominations, churches and theological institutions. The pastors visited China’s officially recognized Protestant church bodies, Yanjing Theological Seminary and Jinling Union Theological Seminary. They also met Wang Zuo’an, then head of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, Zhu Weiqun, a deputy head of the United Front Work Department, and Ye Kedong, a deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office.

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icebreaking journey

The trip was described as a “icebreaking journey” for cross-strait Christian exchanges. Participants later divided contacts from 2011 to 2013 into stages of expanded, substantive and deepened exchange. One stated goal was to help Taiwan’s churches understand China’s authorities and leaders responsible for religious affairs.

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of the same root and origin

Taiwanese pastors continued to preach, teach and conduct church exchanges in China. The direction of travel later expanded, as China’s official religious system sent visitors to Taiwan. Jiang Jianyong, a deputy head of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, described people on both sides as “of the same root and origin” and said religious communities should contribute to realizing the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” That year, Fu Xianwei, chairman of China’s Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee, led nearly 90 pastors, seminary representatives and church figures to Taiwan.

The Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee and the China Christian Council together form China’s officially recognized Protestant system. Its rules describe the Three-Self body as a patriotic religious organization guided by the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The current charter also states support for Communist Party leadership, promotes the Sinicization of Christianity and lists the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” among its aims. The report says official religious exchanges and Taiwanese missionary work in China developed in parallel, increasing contact between Taiwan’s Christian community and China.

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great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation