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Chinese Religious Delegation Visits US
A Chinese religious leaders delegation began its visit to the United States Tuesday with Bishop of the Chinese Catholic Church Michael Fu Tieshan delivering a speech at the University of California in Los Angeles.
In his speech, Fu, chairman of the China Catholicism Association and head of the delegation,dealt with the situation of religions in China, saying that religions in China are entering a "golden age."
He said that there are more than 100 million religious followers in China, more than 85,000 places of worship and 3,000 religious communities with 30,000 clergy to serve spiritual needs of their followers.
Of the top five religions, Buddhism, the most influential, has a history of 2,000 years in China,Taoism, native to the country, has a history of more than 1,700 years. Islam was introduced to China in the seventh century. Catholicism and Protestantism boomed in China with the humiliating Opium War in the 1840s, but they still have 4 million and 10 million followers in China today.
It is stipulated by law that Chinese citizens may freely choose and express their religious beliefs and make clear their religious affiliations, Fu told the meeting of 100 religious leaders in California and scholars.
The Chinese religious leaders delegation, the first of its kind to visit abroad, is to attend the Millennium World Peace Summit of religious and spiritual leaders, which is to be held in the United Nations headquarters later this month.
Apart from Fu, other members of the delegation are President of China's Christian Council Dr. Han Wenzao, Taoist master Min Zhiting, Islamic Akhund Chen Guangyuan, Living Buddha Jamyang Losang Jigme Tubdain Qoigyi Nyima, Buddhist master Sheng Hui, and Rev. Ms Cao Shengjie.
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