As the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services came into force on March 1, a picture has been circulating on the Internet showing a response from an unknown city’s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee to its Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement (CC&TSPM).
Dated on February 18, 2022, the response says, “XX City CC&TSPM is a legally registered religious organization, which according to relevant laws and regulations is allowed to provide Internet religious information service. When operating Internet religious information service, the organization should observe the Constitution, acts, regulations, and rules and exercise the Core Socialist Values. The organization should adhere to the principles of independence, autonomy, and self-governance, develop in the Chinese context, and actively adapt to the socialist society, contributing to the peace and harmony among ethnic groups, religions and in society.”
“Since the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services took into effect on March 1, the organization should complete relevant procedures as required, regulate its own Internet religious information service and accept the lawful supervision and regulation conducted by regulatory government departments.”
According to the website of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, application materials include an application form, basic information form of Internet religious information service, descriptions of management systems for the service and information security, technical support system, as well as rules and regulations for users, user agreement template and the response system for complaints and reports. The effective period for a license is three years.
The materials required may vary, depending on local governments.
