China rebuts US report on religious freedom

BEIJING - The United States should stop using religious issues to interfere in China's internal affairs, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said here on Thursday.

Following the publication of a damning US report into religious freedom in China, Hua told a regular press briefing that the US side should reflect on its own problems rather than pointing fingers at other countries and making irresponsible remarks.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in its annual report on Tuesday that China's religious freedom worsened in the past year. In the report, the USCIRF again suggested the US government should put China on the list of "countries of particular concern."

Hua said the Chinese government protects its citizens' religious freedom according to law. According to the spokeswoman, the Chinese people enjoy full freedom of religion and belief provided by law.

"We advise the so-called 'Commission on International Religious Freedom' to respect fact, abandon preoccupations and stop using religious issues to interfere in China's internal affairs," she said.

Hua also advised the US side to read the "Human Rights Record of the United States in 2012" report published by the Chinese State Council Information Office.