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
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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
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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
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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