China detains Taiwanese Taoists in escalating crackdown on religious freedom

Taipei [Taiwan], October 19 (ANI): Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) has cautioned followers of the I-Kuan Tao religion against visiting China, citing a disturbing trend of arrests targeting Taiwanese believers under China's intensifying control of religious expression, Focus Taiwan reported.

According to Focus Taiwan, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia revealed during a press briefing in Taipei that since 2019, at least 16 Taiwanese nationals have been detained in China for religious reasons. Among them, 11 were members of I-Kuan Tao, a Taoist-based faith emphasising harmony and virtue, while the rest were linked to Christian or Unification Church communities.

Luo stated that one I-Kuan Tao adherent detained in late 2019 has safely returned to Taiwan, but 10 others, arrested between October 2024 and October 2025, remain in Chinese custody. He described several troubling incidents where Taiwanese citizens were detained during ordinary visits to the mainland, highlighting the growing risks religious practitioners face under the Chinese Communist Party's rigid rule.

Three elderly I-Kuan Tao members were arrested in Guangdong Province in October 2024 after a tip-off, accused by Chinese authorities of "organising and engaging in cult activities that disrupt law enforcement." In another instance, a Taiwanese couple doing business in Guangdong were taken into custody in June 2025, while a businessman operating in Hainan was detained last month, with religious items confiscated from his premises.

Luo cautioned that there could be additional unreported cases, pointing to China's opaque legal and security systems. He stated that the detained Taiwanese were merely practising their faith, not involved in political activities. "There is no religious freedom under the Communist regime," Luo asserted, urging religious believers to stay vigilant when considering travel to China, as highlighted by Focus Taiwan.

I-Kuan Tao, also called Yiguandao, meaning "The Tao that unites all into one," has its roots in Chinese philosophical traditions. Despite its peaceful teachings centred on morality, respect, and moderation, the group's followers have become targets of state repression as China broadens its campaign against independent faiths, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)

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