Wang Yang attended the Spring Festival Forum for Responsible Persons of Religious Groups

Beijing, 27 Jan (Xinhua) -- Wang Yang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended and spoke at a spring forum for responsible persons of national religious groups in Beijing on 27 January. First of all, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping, he extended New Year greetings to religious figures and the vast number of religious believers throughout the country. He stressed: Religious groups are the bridge between the party and the government and the religious circles and religious believers, and it is necessary to conscientiously study the spirit of the national religious work conference, comprehensively implement the party's theory, principles, and policies on religious work in the new era, earnestly strengthen self-building, unite the broad masses of religious believers around the party and the government, and gather positive energy for forging ahead on a new journey and realizing the Chinese dream.

Wang Yang fully affirmed the work done by various religious groups in 2021 and put forward earnest hopes for the work in 2022. He stressed that religious groups should strengthen self-education, continue to carry out activities such as cultivating and practicing the core socialist values, loving the party and loving the country, and loving the socialist theme, guide religious circles and religious believers to continuously enhance the "five identities", and consolidate the ideological and political foundation for common unity and struggle. It is necessary to implement the requirement of comprehensively and strictly administering religion, resolve the conspicuous problems affecting the healthy inheritance of religions with the courage of the blade inward, establish and improve internal management systems and mechanisms, form a good atmosphere of abiding by the law, adhering to the precepts and abiding by the rules, and maintaining harmony and stability in the religious field. It is necessary to profoundly promote the sinification of religions on the mainland with the perseverance of doing meritorious work day by day and the determination to make contributions for a long time, so that mainland religions can better adapt themselves to socialist society and the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to run religious schools well, not only to cultivate a contingent of grass-roots teaching personnel of an appropriate scale, in line with requirements, and with a reasonable echelon, but also to cultivate a group of high-level religious talents who are proficient in classical teachings and excellent traditional Chinese culture. It is necessary to strictly implement the regulations on epidemic prevention and control, guide religious believers to rationally arrange religious activities, appropriately reduce mobile gatherings, and live a stable and peaceful Spring Festival.

Wang Yang pointed out that the party and the government have always attached importance to religious work, to unity and cooperation with people in religious circles, and to giving play to the role of religious groups. All localities and all relevant departments should pay attention to listening to the opinions and suggestions of religious circles, support religious groups in carrying out their work, and help resolve practical difficulties.

You Quan, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum. The principal responsible persons of the Buddhist Association of China, the Taoist Association of China, the Islamic Association of China, the Patriotic Catholic Association of China, and the Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Chinese Christians spoke at the meeting. (End)