A hotel in Xiamen, located in China’s southeastern-coastal Fujian Province, was fined 20,000 yuan for providing venues where Christians held illegal gatherings, according to local authorities.
Situated near the prestigious Xiamen University in Siming District, Xiamen Sea View Garden Hotel was charged with violating Article 40 in the Revised Regulations for Religious Affairs. The Article states that “religious activities held by citizens shall generally be held in an approved religious venue.”
From June 28 to August 9, the hotel was said to be guilty of mismanagement, permitting Christians to meet and conduct illegal Christian activities, said the Administration of Culture and Tourism of Siming District in Xiamen.
The Bureau of Ethnic and Religious affairs of Siming District warned the hotel, consifiscating 8,300 yuan that the hotel had earned and fining the company 20,000 yuan. According to Article 71, “Where anyone aides illegal religious activities, the religious affairs department shall give a warning; the illegal gains or belongings, if any, shall be confiscated, and if the circumstances are serious, a fine of not less than 20,000 yuan and not more than 200,000 yuan shall be imposed.”
The bureau urged hotels not to lease conference rooms for religious activities and strictly obey the relevant rules and regulations.
Since February 1, 2018, China’s new national regulations on religious affairs have replaced those issued in 2004.
