Religious Affairs Regulations Draft Revisions (Deliberation Draft)

This is a Legislative Draft, the Finalized and Effective Version of This Regulation Can Be Found By Clicking Here

Contents

Chapter I: General provisions

Chapter II: Religious Groups

Chapter III: Religious Schools

Chapter IV: Venues for Religious Activities

Chapter V: Religious Professionals

Chapter VI: Religious Activity

Chapter VII: Religious Assets

Chapter VIII: Legal Responsibility

Chapter IX: Supplementary Provisions

Chapter I: General provisions

Article 1: These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws for the purposes of ensuring citizens’ freedom of religious belief, maintaining harmony among and between religions, preserving social concord and regulating the administration of religious affairs.

Article 2: Citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief.

No organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in any religion (hereinafter referred to as religious citizens) or citizens who do not believe in any religion (hereinafter referred to as non-religious citizens).

Religious citizens and non-religious citizens shall respect each other and co-exist in harmony, and so shall citizens who believe in different religions.

Article 3: The management of religious affairs upholds the principles of protecting what is lawful, prohibiting what is unlawful, suppressing extremism, resisting infiltration, and fighting crime.

Article 4: The State, in accordance with the law, protects normal religious activities, and safeguards the lawful rights and interests of religious groups, religious schools, sites for religious activities and religious citizens.

Religious groups, religious schools, sites for religious activities, and religious citizens shall abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations and rules, and safeguard unification of the country, ethnic unity, religious harmony and social stability.

Religion must not be used by any individual or organization to engage in activities that endanger national security, disrupt public order, impair the health of citizens or obstruct the State educational system, as well as other activities that harm State or societal public interests, or citizens’ lawful rights and interests.

Individuals and organizations must not create contradictions and conflicts between different religions, within a single religion, or between religious and non-religious citizens; must not advocate religious extremism, and must not use religion to undermine ethnic unity, divide the nation or carry out terrorist activities.

Article 5: All religions shall adhere to the principle of independence and self-governance; religious groups, religious schools, and sites for religious activities and religious affairs, are not to be controlled by foreign forces.

Religious bodies, religious schools, religious activity sites, and religious professionals may develop external exchange on the basis of friendship and equality; other organizations or individuals must not accept any religious conditions in external cooperation or exchange in economic, cultural or other fields.

Article 6: All levels of people's government shall strengthen guidance of work on religion, establish mechanisms for work on religion, and ensure the strength and necessary conditions for work on religion.

The religious affairs departments of the people’s governments at the county level or above are to lawfully carry out management of religious affairs that involve State or public interests, and the other departments of the people’s governments at the county level or above are to be responsible for the management of relevant affairs within the scope of their respective functions and duties. Villagers' committees and residents' committees assist people's governments and relevant departments in managing religious affairs.

All levels of people’s governments shall hear the views of religious groups, religious schools, religious activity sites, and religious citizens, and coordinate the management of religious affairs so as to provide public services to religious groups, religious schools and religious activity sites.

Chapter II: Religious Groups

Article 7: The establishment, modification, or deregistration of a religious group shall be registered in accordance with the relevant State provisions on the management of social groups.

The charters of religious groups shall comply with the relevant State provisions on the management of social groups.

Activities carried out by religious groups in accordance with their charters are protected by law.

Article 8: Religious groups have the following functions:

(1) assisting the government in the implementation of religious laws, regulations and policies;

(2) maintaining the legitimate rights and interests of religious citizens;

(3) Guiding religious affairs, formulating a system of religious rules and supervising their implementation;

(4) engaging in religious cultural study, explaining the religious doctrines and canons, and carrying out the construction of religious ideology;

(5) carrying out religious education, cultivating religious professionals, and designating and managing religious professionals;

(6) such other functions as laws, regulations, rules and religious groups' articles of association provide.

Article 9: National religious groups and those of the provinces, autonomous regions, and directly-governed municipalities may, based on the need of their respective religions, select and receive religious students studying overseas in accordance with provisions; other organizations or individuals must not select and accept religious students studying overseas.

Article 10: Religious schools, sites for religious activities, and religious professionals shall abide by the canons formulated by religious groups.

Chapter III: Religious Schools

Article 11: Religious schools are established by national religious groups or by the religious groups of provinces, autonomous regions, and directly-governed municipalities. Other organizations or individuals must not establish religious schools.

Article 12: The establishment of religious schools shall be by upon application of the national religious groups to the departments of religious affairs under the State Council, of application of the religious groups of provinces, autonomous regions, directly-governed municipalities to the departments religious affairs for the people's government of that province, autonomous region, or directly-governed municipalities. The religious affairs departments of provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's governments shall make a recommendation within 30 days of receiving the application; and where they consent, report to the department of religious affairs under the State Council, and where the do not consent, explain the reasons in writing.

The religious affairs department under the State Council shall make a decision to approve or not approve within 60 days of receiving a national religious group's application, or the report on the establishment of a religious school from the religious affairs departments of people's governments for provinces, autonomous regions, or directly-governed municipalities.

Article 13: Religious schools shall meet the following conditions to be established:

(1) Have clear training objectives, school regulations, and curriculum plans;

(2) Have a source of students that meet the requirements for training;

(3) Have the necessary school funding and stable sources of funds;

(4) Have teaching sites, facilities, and equipment necessary for the pedagogic mission and teaching model;

(5) Have a full-time responsible party for the school, qualified full-time teachers, and internal management organizations.

(6) a reasonable configuration.

Article 14: Religious schools established upon approval may apply to register as legal persons in accordance with relevant provisions.

Article 15: Religious schools shall follow the provisions of article 12 of these regulations in handling changes of their addresses, school names, affiliations, training objectives, education systems, or school sizes, or where merging, dividing, or terminating.

Article 16: Religious schools are to carry out systems for verifications of teachers' qualifications, review of titles, and giving of degrees; with specific measures separately formulated by the department of religious affairs under the State Council.

Article 17: Upon the approval of the department of religious affairs and department for the administration of foreign experts under the State Council, religious schools may obtain credentials for recruiting foreign professional staff.

Recruitment of foreign professional staff by religious schools qualified to recruit foreign professionals shall be upon the approval of the department of religious affairs under the State Council.

Article 18: Institutions for training religious teaching personnel with educational systems of 3 months or more, other than religious schools organized by religious groups, temples or churches, shall report for review and approval to the religious affairs departments of local people's governments at the subdistricted city level or above.

Chapter IV: Venues for Religious Activities

Article 19: Religious activity sites include temples, Taoist temples, mosques, churches (hereinafter temples and churches) and other fixed premises for religious activities.

Standards for distinguishing temples and churches and other fixed sites for religious premises are to be formulated by the religious affairs departments of provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's governments, and reported to the religious affairs department under the State Council to be filed for the record.

Article 20: Religious activity sites shall meet the following conditions to be established:

(1) The purpose of their establishment is not contrary to articles 4 and 5 of this Regulation;

(2) The local religious citizens have need to regularly conduct collective religious activities;

(3) there are religious professionals or other personnel meeting the requirements of the religion who intend to preside over the religious activities;

(4) have the necessary funds from legal sources and channels;

(5) Have a reasonable configuration meeting the requirements of urban and rural planning, and not impeding the ordinary lives and production of surrounding units and residents.

Article 21: In preparation for the establishment of a religious activity site, religious groups are to submit applications to the religious affairs department of the county-level people's governments for the area where the religious activity site will be. Within 30 days of religious affairs departments of county-level people's governments receiving an application; they will report to the religious affairs department of subdistricted cities' people's government where consenting, and where the do not consent, will explain the reasons in writing.

Religious affairs departments for subdistricted city level people's governments shall, within 30 days of receiving a report from a county-level people's governments' religious affairs department, make a decision to approve or reject give approval or reject applications to establish other fixed religious activity sites; where the application is for the establishment of temples and churches, it shall issue verification comment and report those it agrees on to the religious affairs department of the provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's government for review and approval, and where not giving consent, explain the reasons in writing.

The religious affairs department of provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's governments shall make a decision to approve or not approve within 30 days of receiving the report consenting to the establishment of churches and temples from the religious affairs departments of people's governments for subdistricted cities.

Only after an application for the establishment of a religious activity site has been approved, may preparations to build the religious activity site be handled. The preparation period is to be set by the religious affairs department of the people's government that made the approval decision.

Article 22: After religious activity sites have been approved for preparations and completed construction, they shall apply for registration with the religious affairs department of the county-level people's government for that area.

Religious affairs departments of county-level people's governments shall, within 30 days of receiving an application, conduct a review of the religious activity site's management organization and regulatory system, and issue a “Religious Activity Site Registration Certificate”.

Article 23: Religious activity sites meeting the requirements for legal personhood, may register as legal persons upon the consent of the religious group and reporting to the religious affairs department of a people's government at the county level or above for review and consent.

Article 24: Where religious activity sites terminate or modify the content of their registration, they shall handle the formalities corresponding to the cancellation or modification of registration with the original registration management organ.

Article 25: Religious activity sites shall establishment management organizations and implement democratic management. The members of religious activity sites' management organizations are selected according to democratic consultation, and are reported to that site's registration management organs to be filed for the record.

Article 26: Religious activity sites shall strengthen internal management, and follow relevant laws, regulations and rules to establish and complete systems for the management of personnel, finances, assets, accounting, security, fire protection, protection of relics, health and disease prevention and so forth; and will accept the guidance, supervision and inspection of relevant departments of the local people's governments.

Article 27: Religious affairs departments shall conduct oversight and inspections of religious activity sites' compliance with laws, regulations, and rules; the establishment and implementation of site management systems; the modification of registration matters; as well as religious activities and activities involving foreign entities. Religious activity sites shall accept oversight and inspections from religious affairs departments.

Article 28: Religious activity sites may distribute and sell religious items, religious artwork, and religious publications.

Article 29: Religious activity sites shall guard against incidents that harm the religious sentiment of religious citizens, undermine ethnic unity, and influence social stability, such as the occurrence of major accidents on the premises or violation of religious taboos.

When the incidents or matters listed in the preceding paragraph occur, religious activity sites shall immediately report them to the religious affairs department of the county-level people's government for that area.

Article 30: Religious groups, temples and churches intending to build large outdoor religious statues within temple or church grounds, shall have provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality religious groups submit an application to the religious affairs department of a provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's governments. The religious affairs departments of provincial, autonomous region, or directly governed municipality people's governments shall make a recommendation within 30 days of receiving the application; and where they consent, report to the department of religious affairs under the State Council, and where the do not consent, explain the reasons in writing.

The religious affairs department under the State Council shall make a decision to approve or not approve within 60 days of receiving a report on the construction of a large outdoor religious statue.

Organizations and individuals other than religious groups, temples and churches must not construct large outdoor religious statues.

The construction of large outdoor religious statues outside of temple and church grounds is prohibited.

Article 31: Relevant units and individuals setting up commercial service outlets, organizing displays and exhibitions, or filming movies and television in religious activity sites, shall first obtain the consent of the religious activity sites.

Article 32: All levels of local people's government shall include the establishment of religious activity sites in their land use plans and urban-rural planning, based on religious citizens actual needs.

The construction of religious activity sites and large outdoor religious statues shall conform with overall land use plans, urban-rural plans, relevant laws and regulations on engineering and construction.

Article 33: Reconstruction or construction of new buildings in religious activity sites shall be done after approval by the religious affairs department of a local people's government at the county level or above, and then handling formalities such as for planning and construction.

Expansion of religious activity sites, or rebuilding in different locations, should be handled in accordance with the procedures in article 21 of these Regulations.

Article 34: Where there are religious activity sites in scenic areas, local people's governments at the county level or above shall coordinate and handle interests and relationships between the religious activity sites and scenic area management organizations, in areas such as gardens, forestry, cultural relics, tourism and so forth, to preserve the lawful rights and interests of religious activity sites, religious professionals, and religious citizens, and to protect normal religious activities.

The planning and construction of scenic areas with religious activity sites as the primary sightseeing attraction, shall be coordinated with the style and environment of the religious activity sites.

Article 35: Where religious citizens need to regularly conduct collective religious activities, but don't possess the conditions for applying to set up religious activity sites, a representative of the religious citizens is to submit an application to the religious affairs department of the county-level people's government, and after the religious affairs department for the county-level people's government solicits the opinions of local religious groups and township-level people's governments or neighborhood offices, it may designate a temporary activity locations for them.

Under the guidance of the religious affairs departments of county-level people's governments, township-level people's governments or neighborhood offices conduct oversight of activities at temporary activity locations. After they possess the conditions for setting up religious activity sites, reviews, approvals and registration formalities for establishing religious activity sites are to be completed.

Chapter V: Religious Professionals

Article 36: Upon affirmation by a religious group and reporting to the religious affairs department of a people's government at the county level or above to be filed for the record, religious professionals may engage in professional religious activities.

The succession of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism is to be conducted under the guidance of Buddhist groups and in accordance with the religious rites and historical conventions, and is to be reported for approval to the religious affairs department of people’s governments at the provincial level or above or to a people's government at the provincial level or above.

The national Catholic religious group is to report Catholic bishops to the religious affairs department under the State Council to be filed for the record.

Those that have not obtained or have lost religious professional credentials, must not engage in activity as religious professionals.

Article 37: Where religious professionals serve or depart as the chief religious professionals of religious activity sites, upon consent of that religion's religious group, it is to be reported to the religious affairs department of the people’s government at the county level or above for the record.

Article 38: Religious professionals presiding over religious activities, conducting religious ceremonies, sorting religious scriptures and conducting of religious and cultural research, and carrying out public interest charitable activities and other such activities, are protected by law.

Article 39: Religious professionals enjoy the right to social security in accordance with law. Religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites shall handle social insurance for religious professionals.

Chapter VI: Religious Activity

Article 40: Collective religious activities of religious citizens shall , in general, be held at religious activity sites, be organized by religious activity sites, religious groups, or religious school organizations; and be presided over by religious professionals or other persons meeting the requirements of that religion's rules; and conducted according to religious doctrines and canons.

Article 41: Non-religious groups, non-religious schools, and non-religious activity sites, must not hold religious activities, must not accept religious donations, and must not organize citizens leaving the country to participate in religious training, meetings, activities and so forth.

Article 42: Where a large-scale religious activity, which crosses-provinces, autonomous regions and directly governed municipalities is held that is beyond the accommodation capacity of a religious activity site, or where a large-scale religious activity is to be held outside a religious activities site, the religious group, church or temple sponsoring the activity shall, 30 days before the activity is to be held, submit an application to the religious affairs department of the people’s government for the province, autonomous region or municipality. The religious affairs department of the people’s government for subdistricted cities shall, within 15 days from the date of receiving an application, is to make a decision of approval or disapproval after soliciting the opinions of the public security organs for the same level of people's governments.

Large-scale religious activities shall, as required indicated in the written notification of approval, to proceed in accordance with religious rites and rituals, and must not violate the relevant provisions of Articles 4 and 5 of these Regulations. The religious group, temple or church that sponsors such large-scale religious activities shall adopt effective measures to prevent against any accidents. The township-level people’s government or neighborhood office and the relevant departments of the local people’s government at the county level or above for the place where such large-scale religious activities are to be held shall, within the limits of their respective functions and duties, exercise the necessary management to ensure the safe and orderly progress of the large-scale religious activity.

Article 43: The national Islamic religious group is responsible for The making of Hajj abroad by Chinese citizens who believe in Islam.

Article 44: It is prohibited to proselytize, hold religious activities, establish religious organizatons, or set up religious activity sites in State schools.

Article 45: Religious groups, religious schools, and churches and temples may, in accordance with the relevant national provisions, compile and distribute internal religious informational publications. Religious publications for public distribution are to be handled in accordance with the relevant national provisions on the administration of publications.

Publications involving religious contents shall comply with laws and regulations on the administration of publications, and must not contain the following content:

(1) that which undermines the harmonious co-existence between religious and non-religious citizens;

(2) that which undermines the harmony between different religions or within a religion;

(3) that which discriminates against or insults religious or non-religious citizens;

(4) which propagate religious extremism, or incite ethnic hatred, separatism, and terrorist activities;

(5) that which contravenes the principle of religions' independence and self-governance.

Article 46: Importing printed religious materials or a/v materials to the mainlaind that go beyond personal use and reasonable amounts, or otherwise importing printed religious materials or a/v materials, shall be done in accordance with relevant provisions.

Article 47: Engagement in internet religious information services shall be upon the review and consent of the religious affairs department for a people's governments at the provincial level or above, and follow the relevant laws and regulations on internet information services management.

Article 48: Information on internet religious information services must comply with relevant national laws and regulations and with relevant provisions on the management of religious affairs.

Engagement in internet religious information services must not contain content prohibited by the second paragraph of article 45.

Chapter VII: Religious Assets

Article 49: Religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites enjoy the rights of use and return in assets they lawfully occupy that are collectively owned assets belonging to the State. Other lawful assets are owned by the religious groups, religious schools, or religious activity sites.

Article 50: The land lawfully used by religious groups, religious schools, or religious activities sites; the houses, structures and facilities lawfully owned or used them, and their other lawful assets and proceeds thereof, are protected by law.

The lawful assets of a religious groups, religious schools or religious activities sites must not be encroached upon, plundered, privately divided, damaged, or, illegally sealed up, seized, frozen, confiscated or disposed of by any organization or individual, and cultural relics possessed or used by religious groups, religious schools, or religious activities sites must not be damaged.

Article 51: Immovable property such as the houses owned and the land used by religious groups, religious schools, or religious activities sites shall be registered on application with the real estate registration institution for the people’s government at the county level or above in accordance with law, and be granted a real estate ownership certificate; where the property rights are modified or transferred, the formalities for alteration or transfer of registration shall be promptly handled.

When altering or transferring the land-use rights of a religious group, religious school, or a religious activities site, the real estate registration institutions shall solicit the opinions of the religious affairs department of the people’s government at the same level.

Article 52: Religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites are non-profit organizations; their assets and income shall be used in activities consistent with their religious purpose and in public interest charitable matters, and they must not be privately divided, encroached upon, or embezzled by an organization or individual.

Article 53: Organizations and individuals that give donations for the construction of religious activity sites do not enjoy ownership or usage rights in the religious activity sites, and must not receive economic benefit from the religious activity sites.

It is prohibited to invest in or contract management of religious activity sites or large-scale outdoor religious statues, and it is prohibited to commercial promotions in the name of religions.

Article 54: The houses and structures used for religious activities by a religious activities site, as well as their accessory houses lived in by religious professionals must not be transferred, mortgaged or used as investments in kind.

Article 55: Where the houses or structures of a religious group, religious school, or a religious activities site need to be demolished due to the needs of the public interest, it shall be done in accordance with the national laws and regulations on demolition of houses. The department doing the demolishing shall consult with the religious group, religious school, or the religious activities site, and solicit the views of the relevant religious affairs department. Where all parties agree to the demolition upon consultation, the department for the demolition shall rebuild the demolished houses or structures, or make compensation in accordance with relevant national provisions based on a marker value assessment of the houses or structures.

Article 56: Religious groups, religious schools, religious activity sites, and religious professionals may lawfully initiate public interest charitable endeavors, and enjoy preferential policies in accordance with national regulations.

Public interest charitable activities must not be used to proselytize by any organization or individual.

Article 57: Religious groups, religious schools or religious activities sites may, in accordance with the relevant national provisions, accept donations from organizations and individuals at home or abroad, which shall be used for the activities that are commensurate with the purpose of the religious group or the religious activities site.

Donations accepted by religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites from foreign organizations an individuals must not have conditions attached, and where the amount donated exceeds 100,000; it shall be reported to the religious affairs department of the people's governments at the county level or above for review and approval.

Religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites may accept contributions from citizens in accordance with religious custom, but contributions must not be compelled or levied.

Article 58: Religious groups, religious schools or religious activities sites shall implement the national unified systems for finance, assets, and accounting, and report to the religious affairs department of the people’s government at the county level or above for the place where it is located on its income and expenditure, and on the acceptance and use of donations as well, and, in an appropriate way, make such information public to religious citizens.

Religious groups, religious schools or religious activities sites shall, on the basis of national regulations on financial accounting, establish and complete systems for internal accounting, financial reporting, financial agency, financial disclosures, and other systems; establish and improve financial management bodies, and allot the necessary financial accounting staff to strengthen financial management.

The relevant government departments may organize finance and asset inspections, and audits of religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites.

Article 59: Religious groups, religious schools, religious activity sites, and religious professionals shall implement state provisions on tax management, lawfully pay taxes and enjoy tax benefits.

Religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites shall handle tax registrations for religious professionals in accordance with law.

Tax departments shall lawfully implement taxation management for religious groups, religious schools, religious activity sites, and religious professionals.

Article 60: Where religious groups, religious schools, and religious activity sites are deregistered or terminated, an asset liquidation shall be carried out, and assets remaining after the liquidation shall be used for purposes conforming to their religious purpose.

Chapter VIII: Legal Responsibility

Article 61: Where state personnel in the management of religious affairs abuse their authority, play favorites, neglects his duty or commits illegalities for personal gain, they shall be punished in accordance with law; where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Article 62: Where citizens are compelled to believe in, or not to believe in religion, or where normal religious activities conducted by a religious group, religious school or a religious activities site are interfered with, the religious affairs department is to order corrections; where there are violations of public security management, public security administrative sanctions are to be given by the public security organs in accordance with law.

Where the lawful rights and interests of a religious group, religious school, religious activities site or a religious citizen are infringed, civil liability is born in accordance with law; where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Article 63: Where religion is used to engage in illegal activities such as endangering national security, public safety, advocating extremism, undermining the principle of independent self-rule, inciting ethnic hatred and separatism or terrorist activities, infringing upon citizens’ right in their person and democratic rights, impeding the administration of public order, or encroaching upon public or private property; where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law; where no crime is constituted, the relevant competent department are to give administrative punishments in accordance with law; and where losses are caused to citizens, legal persons or other organizations, civil liability in borne in accordance with law.

Where religious groups, religious schools or religious activity sites carry out any of the conduct in the first paragraph of this article and the circumstances are serious, the relevant government departments shall employ necessary measures to rectify it, and those refusing rectification are to have their registration certificate revoked in accordance with law.

Where there are situations in the course of large scale religious activities that endanger national security or public safety, or seriously undermine public order, the relevant departmentsa are to handle it and give punishments in accordance with laws and regulations; where the primary organizing religious group, temple or church bears responsibility, the registration management organ shall order them to withdraw and change the principle responsible person, and where circumstances are serious, the registration management organs are to revoke registration certificates.

Where large scale religious activities are organized without authorization, the religious affairs department together with the public security organs are to order that the activities be stopped, and may give a concurrent fine of between 100,000 and 300,000 yuan; and where there are unlawful gains or illegal assets, confiscate them. Of these, where large scale religious activities are organized without authorization by religious groups or religious activity sites, the registration management organs may also order that religious group or religious activity site to withdraw and change the directly responsible management personnel.

Article 64: Where a religious group, religious school, or religious activities site commits any of the following acts, the religious affairs department is to order it to make corrections; where the circumstances are relatively serious, the registration management organ, or organ that that approved establishment, is to order the religious group, religious school, or the religious activities site to dismiss and replace the directly responsible; management personnel and where the circumstances are serious, the registration management organ, or organ that that approved establishment, is to order that daily activities be stopped, that management organizations be reorganized, and a period of rectification; where rectification is refused, the registration certificate or permits are revoked in accordance with law; and where there are unlawful gains or illegal assets, they are to be confiscated:

(1) failing to follow the registration modification or recording formalities;

(2) religious schools violating the requirements of their training objectives, school regulations, and course setup;

(3) religious activities sites violating Article 16 of these Regulations, by failing to formulate relevant management systems, or failing to have management systems meet the requirements;

(4) religious activity sites violating article 54 of these provisions by transferring, mortgaging, or investing buildings, structures and living quarters for religious professionals;

(5) failing to promptly report the occurrence of major accidents or incidents in a religious activities site, and causing serious consequences;

(6) contravening the principle of religions' independence and self-governance in violation of the provisions of Article 5 of these Regulations;

(7) Violating national regulations in accepting domestic or foreign donations;

(8) refusing to accept supervision and management lawfully carried out by the administrative management organs.

Article 65: Where religious groups, religious schools and religious activity sites violate the relevant management provisions on finances, accounting, assets and taxation, departments of finance, taxation and so forth will give punishments in accordance with the relevant provisions; where the circumstances are serious, upon proposal by the finance and taxation departments, the registration management organs, or organ that approved establishment, are to lawfully revoke registration certificate or permits.

Article 66: Where any publications or internet religious information services involving religious content contain content prohibited by the second paragraph of Article 45 of these Regulations, the relevant departments are to impose administrative punishments upon the relevant responsible units and persons in accordance with law; and where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Where internet religious information services are engaged in without authorization or where services are provided exceeding the scope of an approved and recorded project, the relevant departments handle it in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Article 67: Where a religious activities site is established without authorization, or where a religious activity sites site that has had its registration certificates cancelled continues to carry out religious activities, or where a religious school is established without authorization, the religious affairs department, together with the public security organs are to shut it down and confiscate the unlawful gains or illegal assets if any; where the unlawful gains or illegal assets cannot be determined, a fine of up to 50,000 yuan is imposed; the illegal houses or structures, if any, shall be disposed of by the competent department for construction in accordance with law; and where there is conduct in violation of public security management, a public security administrative sanction is be imposed in accordance with law:

Where a non-religious group, non-religious school, or non-religious activity site organizes or holds religious activities or accepts religious donations, the religious affairs department, together with the departments for public security, civil affairs, construction, culture, tourism, cultural artifacts, and so forth, will order it to discontinue the activities and will confiscate the unlawful gains and illegal assets, if any; and may give a fine of between one and three times the value of unlawful gains; where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Where there is investment in or contracting of operations of religious activity sites or large outdoor religious statues, the religious affairs department together with departments for industry and commerce, planning, construction, and so forth will order corrections and confiscate unlawful gains ; where the circumstances are serious, the registration management organs will revoke the religious activity site's registration certificates, and investigate the responsibility of relevant parties.

Where, without authorization, religious citizens are organized to go abroad on hajj, or to leave the mainland to participate in religious trainings, meetings, or other activities, the religious affairs department, together with public security, is to order it to discontinue the activities, may impose a concurrent fine of between 20,000 and 200,000 yuan, and is to confiscate the unlawful gains, if any; where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Article 68: Where conditions are provided for unlawful religious activities religious activities, the religious affairs departments are to give a warning and confiscate the unlawful gains or illegal assets, if any; where the circumstances are serious, a fine of between 20,000 and 200,000 yuan is to be imposed; where there are illegal bui.dlngs or structures, they are to be disposed of by the competent department for construction in accordance with law; and where there is conduct in violation of public security management, a public security administrative sanction is be given by the public security organs in accordance with law.

Article 69: Where these Regulations are violated by constructed large scale outdoor religious statues, the religious affairs department together with the departments for land, planning, constuction, tourism and sor forth, are to order that work be stopped, and demolished within a set time; and confiscate unlawful gains if any; where circumstances are serious, a fine of between 5-10% of the construction costs is imposed.

Article 70: Where religious professionals exhibit any of the following conduct, the Religious Affairs Department will give a warning, confiscate unlawful gains and confiscate illegal assets; where the circumstances are serious, the Religious Affairs Department will recommend that the relevant religious group, religious school or religious activity sites temporarily stop them from presiding over religious affairs activities or revoke their status as religious professionals; and pursue the responsibility of the relevant religious group, religious school, or religious activity sites' responsible party, and where there is conduct in violation of public security management, the public security organs are to give a public security administrative sanction in accordance with law; and where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law:

(1) advocating religious extremism, inciting ethnic separatism and terrorist activities, or participating in related activities;

(2) accepting domination by external forces, accepting clergy from foreign religious groups or organizations without authorization, as well as other acts contrary to the principle religious independence and self-governance.

(3) Violating national regulations in accepting domestic or foreign donations;

(4) organizing, or presiding over unapproved religious activities held outside of religious activity sites;

(5) other conduct in violation of laws, regulations or rules.

Article 71: Where anyone impersonates religious professionals to carry out illegal acts such as conducting professional religious activities or defrauding funds, the public security organs together with the religious affairs departments are to order it that the activities be discontinued; and confiscate the unlawful gains and illegal assets, if any; and give a concurrent fine of up to 1000 yuan; where there are violations of public security, public security administrative sanctions are given in accordance with law; and where a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility is pursued in accordance with law.

Article 72: Where anyone is dissatisfied with administrative acts taken by the religious affairs departments, they may lawfully apply for an administrative reconsideration; where dissatisfied with the decision of the administrative reconsideration, they may lawfully raise an administrative lawsuit.

Chapter IX: Supplementary Provisions

Article 73: Religious exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan, are handled in accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, and relevant national provisions.

Article 74: These regulations take effect on XX-XX-XX. The "Regulations on the Administration of Religious Affairs"promulgated by the State Council on January 1, 1994 are abolished at the same time.