BEIJING, Feb 12 (AFP) -
China on Monday said its crackdown on the Falungong spiritual movement was part of a global battle against cults and urged other countries to join in that struggle.
The state-run Xinhua news agency, in a lengthy feature, listed examples of how authorities in the United States, Japan and Europe had moved to curb cults, and said they should not use double standards when judging China's policies.
"China is willing to form a joint battlefront to wage a global struggle against cults," Xinhua said, quoting Wang Yusheng, secretary general of the China Anti-Cult Association.
It said participants at an international symposium on "destructive cults" held in Beijing in November agreed it was impossible for countries to curb the spread of cults on their own, and that international cooperation was needed.
Xinhua quoted Duan Qiming, an official with the state administration of religious affairs, as saying other countries should support China in its fight against the Falungong and stop the group from creating "tragedies" within their own territories.
"That not only embodies their friendly feelings toward Chinese people, but also is a move which is responsible (toward) their own people," Duan said according to Xinhua.
Beijing is increasingly upset about the Falungong's vocal protests in Hong Kong, and Chinese diplomats in Canada have been accused of threatening followers of the controversial movement there.
Fu Tieshan, chairman of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, told Xinhua the Falungong shared sinister traits with cults in Japan, France, Uganda and the United States.
"They not only jeopardize social order, but also seduce people to commit suicide, especially mass suicide," he said according to Xinhua.
This appeared to be a reference to a mass suicide attempt in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on January 23, when five alleged Falungong followers tried to set fire to themselves. One died and the other four, including a 12-year-old girl, were badly injured.
The Xinhua story listed a range of cult phenomena in foreign countries, such as Japan's Aum Supreme Truth sect and the Branch Davidians of the US, seemingly in an attempt to point out parallels with its own response to the Falungong.
"The Chinese government and people have always supported the efforts of other governments in cracking down on cults," Xinhua said, quoting Feng Jinyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the country's top government think tank.
"(The Chinese) have never changed their attitude toward cults, even if a country with a cult boasts a different social system or cultural background from China," Feng said according to Xinhua.
Falungong, which claims 70 million members in mainland China alone, was banned by Beijing in July 1999 as an "evil cult."
The Communist leadership stepped up an already-intensive propaganda campaign after last month's suicide attempt.