China preys on Taiwan’s spiritual followers as soft targets to spread its influence: Report

Beijing [China], July 17 (ANI): China has been targeting spiritual followers of Taiwan as soft targets to spread its influence, Portal Plus reported.

As China’s military interventions and verbal threats to intimidate Taiwan have not been able to produce the desired results, Beijing has decided to use a less coercive approach for its aim of annexation. Recently, China has started targeting non-state actors with its time-honoured strategy of “so-called united front work,” Valerio Fabbri wrote in Portal Plus report.
With this, China has been making use of rifts among its adversaries by befriending minor enemies and isolating major ones.

According to Portal Plus, Beijing under Chinese President Xi Jinping is fast becoming increasingly hostile to freedom of religion.

Recent cases have revealed that the Chinese government is using new ways to control and suppress Christianity in China, Valerio Fabbri wrote in Portal Plus report.

Supervised by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), China has been suppressing the transmission of religious knowledge to the next generation, isolating Chinese Christians from the broader global community of practitioners, and detaining Christians who criticise the government.

As per the news report, China’s approach towards religion in Taiwan is complex and multifaceted. The Chinese government has used religion as a tool to influence Taiwan.
China has held various exchanges, conferences and cultural events involving Buddhist and Taoist leaders from Taiwan.

With these activities, China’s goal is to foster cultural and religious ties between the mainland and Taiwan and promote a sense of shared heritage.

Beijing has even encouraged the celebration of Chinese traditional festivals like the Lunar New Year in Taiwan. China has even used soft-power strategies to demonstrate its cultural and religious traditions in Taiwan, according to Portal Plus report.

China has been sometimes organising cultural performances, art exhibitions, and religious ceremonies to highlight Beijing’s rich heritage and attract Taiwanese youth to engage with Chinese cultural elements.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and seeks to promote a sense of Chinese identity among Taiwanese nationals. By stressing cultural and religious ties, China wants to create a favourable environment for its goal of reunification with Taiwan under its “One China” policy, according to Portal Plus.

Citing an editorial in a Taiwanese newspaper which included a poster that reads, “When youth meets Zen — 2023 mainland [China] monastery visit the camp.”

The organisers were attracting unmarried young Taiwanese to participate in the activity by providing them with free accommodation and food. The poster indicates China’s “soft approach” towards China by organising free monastery tours for young Taiwanese.

During the 1966–1976 Cultural Revolution, China launched an aggressive program to eradicate existing religions, “culminating in iconoclastic violence,” the report said.

Communist leaders in China stressed that religious practices should be aligned with state goals.

Some Taiwanese temples have been permitted to construct branch temples on the mainland, which often leads to considerable profits in land redevelopment.
Beijing considers Taiwan’s spiritual followers as soft targets to spread its influence, Portal Plus reported.

Recently, China involved its religious united front work in its massive Belt and Road Initiative, which uses the Mazu cult as a form of outreach towards the Chinese community in Southeast Asia and Chinatown residents in Western cities, according to Portal Plus report.

In 2006, China legalised the Chinese Mazu Cultural Exchange Association, which has become one of the ways through which Taiwanese temple leaders construct personal connections with Chinese officials. (ANI)