CHINESE CHRISTIAN IN XINJIANG DISCUSSES SOCIAL ILLS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 013473 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2031 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KIRF CH SUBJECT: CHINESE CHRISTIAN IN XINJIANG DISCUSSES SOCIAL ILLS REF: BEIJING 11753 Classified By: Classified by Acting Political Internal Unit Chief Susan ¶A. Thornton. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) During a recent visit to China's predominantly Muslim Xinjiang region, local radio talk show host Zhou Jianjun described to Poloff his strong Christian faith and his disappointment with modern Chinese society. The Chinese Communist Party has lost its moral legitimacy, he stated. Zhou asked about religion in the United States, was surprised that religion plays a role in politics and noted that Party members in China are required to be atheists. He speculated that many government officials are religious believers but do not openly practice. End summary. China's Spiritual Void Leads Journalist to Christianity -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Over a recent dinner in Urumqi, capital of China's far western province of Xinjiang, Zhou Jianjun, the host of a popular Xinjiang radio show (reftel) spoke about China's and Xinjiang's social problems. Rapid economic development and social change has led to a breakdown of traditional values, the Party has lost its moral credibility, and most people now live only to earn as much money as possible in order to secure "the good life." People are more isolated, there is a loss of community in the face of increasingly fierce competition, and the sole focus is on getting ahead or just staying afloat in uncertain times, said Zhou. Zhou said that he found his job as a journalist to be adequate, salary-wise, and rewarding when he could help people solve some of their problems. ¶3. (C) Zhou said he rejected China's modern-day obsession with material life and announced to Poloff that he was a Christian. He had been searching for the spiritual balance that could provide meaningful values in a fast-paced world of work and money and had been drawn to Christianity to provide the values he felt were lacking in today's China. Although China's official rhetoric speaks of traditional values and Asian virtues, the daily reality is one of relentless material pursuit. Parents work non-stop to earn money to pay for their children's education and to pursue the "American Dream" of owning a house and car. Traditional values and a "harmonious society" are lost in the fierce market competition for jobs and personal betterment, Zhou noted. ¶4. (C) Zhou, of the dominant Han nationality, noted that most other Christians in Xinjiang are also Han Chinese who came from other parts of China. Zhou, who grew up in Xinjiang, said he had converted to Christianity four years ago and noted that the numbers of converts are increasing. While there are some Buddhists in Xinjiang, their numbers are relatively small, he noted. Impressions of Religion in America -------------- ¶5. (C) Zhou was keenly interested in American religion and was surprised to learn that almost 90 percent of Americans profess a religious faith. He noted that this was exactly the reverse in China, with only an estimated 10 percent of China claiming to be religious, including all the official religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Judaism. Zhou asked a number of questions about religion's influence on politics in the United States and was surprised to learn that religion plays a major role in America's political system. This is the reverse in China, he said, where the Communist Party requires that all Party members be atheists. Zhou speculated that many government officials are religious but do not openly profess their faith. RANDT