China blocks Christian apps
International Christian Concern reported on May Day that Christian accounts on WeChat,
a Chinese social media platform, are no longer available.
When Chinese citizens try to access Christian WeChat pages such as "Gospel League" and "Life Quarterly"," they receive the following message: "We have received a report that [this account] violates the 'Provisions for the Management of Information Services on Internet Users' Public Accounts' and his account has been blocked and suspended."
Father Francis Liu, of the Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness, posted screenshots of the blocked pages on his Twitter account, according to International Christian Concern.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has removed Bible apps from the Chinese online store, according to ICC.
"Those who want to download Bible apps should use a 'VPN' to bypass the firewall," ICC said in its report.
This isn't the first time China has targeted Bible apps. In 2019, the Chinese government removed a 6-year-old Chinese Bible app called WeDevote after it was downloaded 10 million times, World reported.
Popular American Bible apps, such as YouVersion, are not available in the Chinese App Store.
Levi Fan, co-founder of WeDevote, told Le Monde that the Chinese government is monitoring not only the app, but Mr. Fan, himself. In 2015, Beijing's public security bureau ordered him to come to his office for a discussion.
Officials told him they "were aware of the articles his wife had written on a Christian WeChat account and the new home they had bought," World reports. A police officer told Fan that he was being watched.
"It was uncomfortable to know that they knew everything, but since the Chinese house church has faced this persecution in the past, it was no stranger to me," Fan told World in 2019. "It helped me to draw closer to God. I realized that I couldn't do this alone and that I had to pray more."
a Chinese social media platform, are no longer available.
When Chinese citizens try to access Christian WeChat pages such as "Gospel League" and "Life Quarterly"," they receive the following message: "We have received a report that [this account] violates the 'Provisions for the Management of Information Services on Internet Users' Public Accounts' and his account has been blocked and suspended."
Father Francis Liu, of the Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness, posted screenshots of the blocked pages on his Twitter account, according to International Christian Concern.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has removed Bible apps from the Chinese online store, according to ICC.
"Those who want to download Bible apps should use a 'VPN' to bypass the firewall," ICC said in its report.
This isn't the first time China has targeted Bible apps. In 2019, the Chinese government removed a 6-year-old Chinese Bible app called WeDevote after it was downloaded 10 million times, World reported.
Popular American Bible apps, such as YouVersion, are not available in the Chinese App Store.
Levi Fan, co-founder of WeDevote, told Le Monde that the Chinese government is monitoring not only the app, but Mr. Fan, himself. In 2015, Beijing's public security bureau ordered him to come to his office for a discussion.
Officials told him they "were aware of the articles his wife had written on a Christian WeChat account and the new home they had bought," World reports. A police officer told Fan that he was being watched.
"It was uncomfortable to know that they knew everything, but since the Chinese house church has faced this persecution in the past, it was no stranger to me," Fan told World in 2019. "It helped me to draw closer to God. I realized that I couldn't do this alone and that I had to pray more."
Radio Eclat internationale.
China blocks Christian apps| Radio Eclat- Christian news, Christian news
China blocks Christian apps| Radio Eclat- Christian news, Christian news