Chinese Religious Leaders Conclude Visit to US

A delegation consisting of seven top leaders of Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity in China has concluded a friendly and goodwill visit to the United States.

During their stay in Los Angeles and Washington, the Chinese religious leaders met their American counterparts, scholars and overseas Chinese, many of whom acknowledged that Chinese citizens enjoy true religious freedom and believed that the visit helped enhance Americans' understanding of the religious freedom in China.

The visit also cleared some misunderstanding and laid a new foundation for increased contact and cooperation between Chinese and US religious circles.

In Los Angeles, Fu Tieshan, head of the delegation and chairman of China Catholicism Association, told a forum that freedom of religion in China is protected by the Constitution and religions in China are entering a "golden age."

He said that the Falun Gong cult is misleading and cheating people, violating human rights and jeopardizing society.

Chinese religious societies firmly support the government's decision to ban the cult, Buddhist Master Sheng Hui said, adding that the religious circles had begun to boycott and reject Falun Gong as early as in 1996.

The cult is directly responsible for the death of more than 1,600 people and harm people in the same way as drugs do, he said.

On the Dalai Lama, the delegation members said the Dalai Lama has been engaging in activities designed to split China, which will bring calamity to religions, Tibet and the entire country, therefore his presence at the Millennium World Peace Summit runs counter to the peace theme of the meeting.

(People's daily 2000/08/28)