As an analyst of current trends in China, I am fascinated by the social transition we are seeing in China today. There are at least two prominent characteristics to this transition: First, the increase in social conflicts, which we can see in the increase in rural uprisings and the increase in the school stabbing cases. Secondly, the rise in the perceived interest among the Chinese people in civil rights.
These social conflicts have stemmed from the many problems in China of maintaining social stability. A primary factor is the poor mechanisms in place in maintaining this stability. The government is more interested in maintaining stability through the use of rigid mechanisms which actually go against the development of social stability. As the Chinese government is able to develop the rule of law, relax their rigid policies, and allow citizen activists more of a role in maintaining that rule of law, we will continue to see improvement in social stability. Of particular interest are the repeated stories we’re seeing of rights lawyers and rights activists that are being shut down or silenced. As I’ve written before in chronicling the stories of Xu Zhiyong and others, the Chinese government is going in a different direction in relation to these rights lawyers than it seems they were going in the past.
What is most troubling about the cases of these rights lawyers is the Chinese government’s squelching them at a time in which their services are most needed. For as we all know, it is when a government provides citizens with legitimate and reasonable outlets to express their concerns and demands, they will not be as likely to seek outside channels (riots, stabbings, etc) to challenge social stability. In addition, we were hearing some really fantastic first-hand stories of how these lawyers were helping people understand their rights under current Chinese law and expressing those rights to those to may attempt to undermine the rule of law.
To me, the brightest hope that we have today in these areas is the growth of the Christian church in China and the force for good that they are becoming in that country. This growth has been so pervasive that Christianity is reaching into almost all areas of society. Stories I’m hearing from Chinese about government leaders, military leaders, academicians, business leaders, all coming to know Christ have been so heart warming. Let me assure those of you who are new to China ministry that all the stories you are hearing about what God is doing in China are all true. What is equally encouraging is even those who are not yet coming to Christ, millions of Chinese now see Christianity not as a foreign religion to be feared, but as a legitimate worldview that offers real solutions to life’s problems. I’m not the only one who now believes that it is quite probable that a full 10% of China population are Christians or have taken a Christian worldview to their lives and are applying it daily. Many more are examining the claims of Christ. Take this one story, taken from Larry Tauton’s blog, who is the Executive Director of Fixed Point Foundation, as he recalls a conversation while in China he was having recently with a Chinese Christian, Ms. Jung:
Only the week before Ms. Jung had been meeting with seven government officials—all communists, mind you—in a province western China. It was, she said, a very unusual meeting. One of them, a woman, asked her directly if she was a Christian. Nervous, she acknowledged that she was.
“I am, too,” came the matter-of-fact reply. Her boss raised his eyebrows in surprise. But that was not all.
“I am considering becoming one,” said another official, also a woman. “But I don’t understand miracles.” Ms. Jung said that she did her best to help her get over this obstacle to faith. After some discussion, this woman declared that she wanted to become a Christian.
Once again, the boss looked stunned. “I am going to have to fire the two of you!” He said with what Ms. Jung took to be mock anger. “He had to say that,” she explained to me. “He has to appear disapproving, even if he doesn’t really plan to fire them.”
But that was not the end of the story.
“This man,” Ms. Jung said almost laughing, “then looked at another man sitting at the end of the table—someone who worked for him—and added, ‘But if I fire [the two women], I suppose I would have to fire him, too.’ The man at the end of the table said nothing, he just grinned!” Wow. Of seven government officials in this particular meeting, three were Christians.
As we know, it is Christ who offers real internal peace and real solutions to social stability. It is our hope at China Resource Center, as we engage with China and Chinese government officials, to offer that hope and that peace as the ultimate social stabilizer. If this pricks your heart at all, please let me know in the comments below or send me an email. I’d like to know and offer to you ways you can help us as we impact China for Christ.
