Crackdown on Underground Christianity in China: Arrests and Demolitions

Sat Jan 10 2026 03:39:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Recent reports reveal a significant escalation in China's crackdown on underground Christian churches, with multiple arrests and the demolition of church structures, signifying tightened control over religious practices.

The Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu has reported the arrest of prominent leaders amidst a wave of government crackdowns on non-registered churches in China. Nine members were detained, while authorities began demolishing the Yayang Church in Wenzhou. These incidents illustrate the increasing pressure from the Communist Party to enforce conformity to its ideology among religious congregations.

An influential Protestant church in China says prominent leaders have been arrested in what appears to be a growing crackdown on the underground church movement.

Nine people were detained on Tuesday after police raided their homes and the church office in Chengdu, in central China, the Early Rain Covenant Church said. Five had been released by Wednesday.

More than 1,000 miles away in Wenzhou, authorities began demolishing the Yayang Church building, video obtained by non-profit ChinaAid, which monitors religious persecution, shows.

This latest wave of arrests, after others last year, shows the Communist Party's resolve to snuff out churches that do not align with its ideology, Christian groups say.

The BBC has contacted China's embassy in the UK for comment. Authorities have not made any statements about the arrests or the demolition in Wenzhou.

China promotes atheism and controls religion. The government said in 2018 that there were 44 million Christians in the country, but it's unclear if that number includes those who attend the many underground churches.

The Communist Party has long pressured Christians to join only state-sanctioned churches led by government-approved pastors.

But Christian groups say the grip has tightened noticeably, with arrests becoming more common and prompt.

At least two church leaders in China have told the BBC that authorities are swiftly arresting unauthorized church leaders. In the past, these individuals would first be warned, then fined and finally detained if they still refused to comply with orders.

Just weeks ago, Li Yingqiang, the current leader of Early Rain Covenant Church, had said he sensed a storm gathering and referred to the imminent prospect of... another large-scale crackdown.

His church described the arrests as a concerted operation but said the grounds for arrest, and whether those detained had been charged, remain unclear. It added that it had lost contact with two other members but did not say they had been detained.

In Wenzhou, local authorities brought in bulldozers, cranes and heavy machinery earlier this week to start taking down part of the Yayang Church building, as seen in the video. Multiple sources informed ChinaAid that hundreds of armed and special police officers have been deployed to stand guard outside the building.

In December, authorities arrested about 100 members of Yayang Church in Wenzhou over five days. At least 24 members remain in custody, according to Human Rights Watch.

Under Xi Jinping, China has tightened its grip on religious freedom, increasing pressure on independent churches to align with state ideology. Observers note that authorities are increasingly willing to act swiftly against unauthorized gatherings and religious practices.