China rejects US accusations of religious oppression

China has dismissed the United States accusations of cracking down on religious freedom, calling on Washington to address its own problems instead of meddling in Beijing’s domestic affairs.

According to Press TV, in a daily news briefing on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei stressed that Beijing fully respected religious freedom, but the US repeatedly attacked China on the issue, ignored the facts and distorted the situation.

“China is resolutely opposed to this and has already lodged stern representations with the US side,” Hong said, urging Washington to “objectively and justly view China's religious policy and Chinese citizens’ freedom of belief and stop using the religious issue to interfere in China's internal affairs.”

He further noted that the US should “reflect more on its own problems and not always gesticulate about other countries.”

The remarks came a few days after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan US federal government body, released a report, designating China as a top-tier country of particular concern.

The report also said there were “systematic, egregious and ongoing abuses” against Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and others in the East Asian country.

ME