| The Najiaying mosque is not the first Islamic religious site that has faced the threat of partial demolition of its structure. Over the last few years, mosques in Ningxia, Gansu, Henan, and even Beijing, have seen their domes and minarets demolished by local authorities and replaced with Chinese-style roofs.
These efforts are part of the Chinese government’s plan to “Sinicize” Islam, which aims at removing “foreign influence” from the religion while ensuring that it aligns with traditional Chinese values outlined by the Chinese government.
“In many of his speeches, there are indications that President Xi Jinping views foreign religious ideologies or traditions as threatening, and Islam is one that he is very concerned about,” said David Stroup, a lecturer of Chinese politics at the University of Manchester.
China’s five-year ‘Sinicizing’ plan
In 2019, China passed a law that aimed at Sinicizing Islam in five years, emphasizing that it’s necessary to ensure Islam is “compatible with socialism,” according to a report by China’s state-run tabloid Global Times in January that year.
During a government meeting in September 2020, Chinese leader Xi reiterated the need to ensure the “healthy development of religion.”
“We must do a good job in the field of ideology and carry out the project of cultural enrichment of Xinjiang,” Xi said in an article published by the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Hannah Theaker, a lecturer in history and politics at the University of Plymouth in the UK, says some mosques in China have been demolished, while others are being merged together as part of a policy to reduce the overall numbers of mosques.”
Read the rest of William’s report. |
