NEWS / Census taking China-style
In China, as in the Untied States, during the years that end with a zero (2000, 2010, 2020), a census is taken.
National censuses don't just count the number of citizens. They gather information on numerous demographic data points, including household size, gender, race, employment, education,
China’s census data
China's 2020 census sought information that could result in prosecution of its citizens. A census-taker from Xiangyang city revealed to Bitter Winter that census-takers were instructed to watch for religious materials and symbols in people’s homes. They were also to report suspicions that a home may be used as an unregistered church or if there were out-of-town visitors.
“The government tells us that foreign forces are using Protestantism and Catholicism to infiltrate China, and we should be vigilante of religions to help preserve national security,” the census-taker explained.
Census impact
Consequently, across China
House churches have been identified and shut down.
Visitors have been ordered to leave, especially if there was evidence of religious activity in a home.
People who refused to cooperate with the census were reported to the police.
People who refused to allow census-takers to come into their homes were reported to the police.
People were questioned by census-takers about any religious activities by their neighbors.
“Anyone deemed as suspicious during the census can be investigated and arrested at any time,” explained a police officer from Xi’an.
“One of the major tasks of this census is to investigate people of faith,” a Yichun city government employee in Jiangxi Province said.
Sources: Chinese census data, Bitter Winter, Chinese demographics
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