At this CECC Roundtable, panelists will examine the Chinese government's policies toward spiritual movements and the factors that drive its treatment of members of spiritual groups. The Chinese government has allowed space for some spiritual movements to operate in China, but has banned other groups, such as Falun Gong. Authorities have subjected members of Falun Gong and other banned groups to strict surveillance, and in some cases, imprisonment, detention outside the legal system, and other abuses. Why does the Chinese government consider some spiritual movements a threat? What challenges and prospects do Falun Gong practitioners face in China that adherents of other groups do not? What does the Chinese government's treatment of spiritual movements mean for the future of religious freedom in China?

Panelists:

James Tong, Professor, UCLA Department of Political Science

Ethan Gutmann, Adjunct Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Mark Shan, Program in Philosophy, Theology and Ethics, Boston University

Sarah Cook, Asia Research Analyst, Freedom House

Statement submitted for the record by Caylan Ford

CECC Roundtables are open to the public. No RSVP is necessary.

A complete transcript of this CECC Roundtable is available online in PDF and TEXT.

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