Beijing, China - China’s ruling Communist Party on Sunday made a significant amendment to the party’s constitution to mention “religion” for first time, signalling a pragmatic attitude towards growing number of religious beliefs in the officially atheist nation.
“For the first time in its history, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has mentioned the word ‘religion’ in an amendment to its constitution, adopted at the closing session of the 17th CPC National Congress,” local media said. To insert CPC’s guiding principles and policies in religious work in the Party Constitution is conducive to their full implementation, according to a resolution on the amendment to the constitution.
It said the insertion has been made to meet the demands posed by the “new situation and new tasks.” The CPC with 73 million members has been widely known as atheistic since its founding in 1921.