(Source: ChinaAid Association)
For the fifth straight year, the government's persecution of the Church in China has continued to escalate, according to an annual report by ChinaAid Association, one of VOM's partners. The March 31 report was based on 90 known cases of persecution against Christians in China throughout 2010. As ChinaAid President Bob Fu noted, the Chinese government's stranglehold on information makes it impossible for all of the instances of Christian persecution to be documented and taken into consideration. This report is helpful, however, in revealing the widespread extent of opposition facing believers, as the incidences came from throughout China and involved people from all levels of society. It also highlighted three new alarming trends: the full-scale suppression of Christian human rights lawyers groups; use of abuse, torture and mafia tactics; and a severe crackdown on official Three-Self Patriotic Movement churches that do not accept government control. "China still has a long way to go toward true religious freedom and rule of law," said Fu.