BEIJING, May 12 -- China's religious groups on Monday rebutted an annual report on religious freedom by a U.S. commission, urging them to focus on their own religious problems.

"The commission should put efforts into dealing with their own severe religious problems and make genuine contributions to religious freedom and harmony," the religious groups said in a statement.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on April 30 issued its 2014 annual report recommending the U.S. government to continue to put China on the list of "countries of particular concern."

Sticking to the principle of freedom of religion and belief, the Chinese government has gained support from religious groups by boosting openness and transparency in handling its internal religious affairs, said the statement.

"It's futile for the USCIRF to use the religion issue to make trouble and curb the peaceful development of China," it said.

The statement said that some people engaged in illegal, criminal or violent terrorist activities under the banner of religion, which harmed the dignity of the law, human life and property, and the image of religion as well.

The Chinese government has tackled such illegal activities according to the law and protected its citizens' religious freedom and social justice, all of which comply with the religious groups' wishes, it added.