UCA News reports that the authorities are destroying mosques by removing domes and religious motifs.

The affected places of worship are located in Zhongwei, Yinchuan, Wuzhong and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northern China.

Yang Faming, the chairman of the government-linked Islamic Association of China was quoted saying that “Chinese Islam must adhere to official Sinicization policies by conforming to cultural norms.”

Reportedly, this is in accordance with the new religious regulations announced on February 1, 2018.

These new rules require the removal of non-Chinese Islamic symbols, the national flag raised at local mosques, and for Arab-style buildings to be converted into Chinese-style pavilions.

Other regulations include the registration of all Muslim scholars, the prohibition of loudspeakers for calls to prayer and Quranic recitations.

These new restrictive laws affect all Muslims, who make up 1 to 3% of the total population of China, according to numerous sources.

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Religious persecution in China

Muslims are not alone in this as churches are also been vandalized.

On Friday, March 9, 2018, crosses were forcefully removed from the Shangqiu Catholic Church South Cathedral in Henan Province.

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Afterward, the local authorities banned Christians from all church activities.

Scary actions like these have placed China in the 43rd spot on the Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List (WWL).