Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the persecution of the various religious communities in China.

We remain concerned by all restrictions to freedom of religion or belief in China. Whilst Article 36 of the Chinese Constitution specifies that ‘Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief’, only five religions are officially recognised, and practice is subject to restrictions.

We regularly raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities, and did so in detail during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in April. We highlight our concerns in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights. Our concerns are also raised in international fora such as the UN Human Rights Council.

We regard freedom of thought, conscience and belief as a fundamental human right and will continue to raise our concerns as part of our broader relationship with China.