Leaders from China's Christian
community on Sunday described talks with visiting German President
Johannes Rau, as "pleasant."
"We welcome such exchange of views on a friendly and equal basis,"
Cao Shengjie, president of the China Christian Council said after
the 40-minute talks.
"I had thought President Rau would raise sharp questions as many
westerners would, but in fact, he was very friendly and displayed a
good understanding of China's religious situation and a profound
religious knowledge," said Hua Yaozeng, chairman of the Shanghai
Christian Council.
It was the first time China's top Christian leaders exchanged views
with a foreign head of state. During the meeting, the development
of China's Christianity, religious freedom, baptism and other
related issues aroused great interest from the German
president.
Mei Kangjun, deputy secretary-general of the National Committee of
Protestant Churches in China, said the atmosphere of friendliness
and mutual respect helps foreigners understand China's religious
situation and is conducive to the understanding and communication
between Chinese and German Christians.
Cao said there are 16 million Christians on the Chinese mainland,
more than 20 times the number in 1949 when the People's Republic of
China was founded, 18 religious academies and over 20,000 Christian
teachers. In Shanghai, over two thirds of the churches were set up
in the past two decades after China adopted the reform and
opening-up policy. The China Christian Council has its own website
and magazine.
(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2003)