Though the Chinese Communist Party is officially atheist, it has always maintained five state-sanctioned religions, which it uses to buttress its own rule over the Chinese people. General secretary Xi Jinping reiterated this point at a May 21 political meeting, saying that religion must instead be used to guide the hearts and minds of the public in favor of Party doctrine.
A major concern in recent years, however, has been the growing religiosity among communist officials themselves. While the Party may tolerate the existence of religions, its own officials are barred from believing in them. Economic crime is the main component the “disciplinary violations” that have been widely applied to Chinese officials facing investigation and ousting from their posts, but belief in “superstitions” is also grounds for incrimination in the Party’s cleansing of the ranks.
