State Administration for Religious Affairs

The State Administration for Religious Affairs (Simplified Chinese: 国家宗教事务局; Traditional Chinese: 國家宗教事務局; Pinyin: Guójiā Zōngjiào Shìwùjú), abbreviated SARA (; Pinyin: Zōngjiàojú), is a functioning department under the State Council which oversees religious affairs and issues for the People's Republic of China.

Ye Xiaowen (; Pinyin: Yè Xiǎowén) directed the SARA from 1995 to 2009, an eventful term. He oversaw the ban against Falun Gong in 1999, issued the State Religious Affairs Bureau Order No. 5, which furthered state control over reincarnations in Tibetan Buddhism, and attempted to wipe out Chinese Catholicism loyal to Rome (which he considered "colonial") and not to the official Catholic Church in China, according to the Roman Catholic Church affiliated Asia News. After Ye was promoted to the Secretary of the CPC Committee at the Central Institute of Socialism, Former Deputy Director Wang Zuoan was promoted to Director, who is not expected to effect changes in policy.

Administration

Director:

• Wang Zuo'an (; Pinyin: Wáng Zuò'ān) (New Chairman for SARA, Experts Says Policy Has Not Changed), Ming Pao, 18 September 2009.

Deputies:

• Qi Xiaofei (; Pinyin: Qí Xiǎofēi)
• Jiang Jianyong (; Pinyin: Jiǎng Jiānyǒng)

See also

• Council for Religious Affairs (USSR)

References

Read More