Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping said that religious communities should be supported and guided in embodying "Chinese characteristics" in their doctrines, rules, management systems, ritual customs, and codes of conduct, so as to adapt to the requirements of the times and enhance their capacity for self-education, self-management, and self-discipline. Only by continuously promoting the "Sinicization of religion" can social harmony and "long-term national stability" be ensured.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held its 29th meeting, the 22nd group study session, with the theme "Systematically Promoting the Sinicization of Religion in Our Country." The session was presided over by Xi Jinping. Zhang Xunmou, Director of the Religious Research Center of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, gave a lecture and made work suggestions.
According to the report, Xi Jinping said it is necessary to draw on historical experience, base religious work on China’s actual circumstances, strengthen systematic thinking, improve institutional and regulatory frameworks, enhance comprehensive governance, and reinforce grassroots foundation work to systematically promote the "Sinicization of religion in China," and actively guide "religion to adapt to socialist society."
Xi Jinping also said that history and practice have proven that only by continuously advancing the "Sinicization of religion in China" can "religious harmony, national unity, social harmony, and long-term national stability" be promoted.
● Continuously Enhancing the "Five Identifications"
Xi Jinping emphasized that China is a socialist country under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and actively guiding "religion to adapt to socialist society" is a necessary requirement. He called for adhering to socialist core values as guidance, leading religious figures and believers to firmly establish "correct views on the nation, history, ethnicity, culture, and religion," and to continuously enhance the "five identifications" (identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics), and to consciously take part in the construction of "Chinese-style modernization."
Xi Jinping stated that all religions in China must always "take root in Chinese soil and be nourished by Chinese culture in order to be healthily inherited." It is necessary to be rooted in five thousand years of Chinese civilization, promote the "integration of Chinese religions with outstanding traditional Chinese culture," and guide religious figures and believers to "enhance their sense of identification with Chinese culture."