The institutionally entrenched, ideological intolerance of Christianity and other religions in China stems back to 1949 and the days of Chairman Mao – perpetuated by the communist regime. An estimated 96.7 million Christians live in China, one of the largest Christian populations in the world. China currently ranks 17th on the 2026 World Watch List, with a persecution score of 79 out of 100.

Religious groups are made to register with state operated so called “patriotic associations”, and unregistered religious activity is illegal - many Christians worship in unregistered “house churches”, which are vulnerable to raids, fines and the detention of participants. The promise of reconciliation offered by the 2018 agreement between the Vatican and China has not been realised and in some diocese the situation has even deteriorated. This persecution must not be tolerated!

You can view my speech in the Westminster Hall debate on the subject here and my following intervention on Iain Duncan Smith here.