A team from the Committee on Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) visited Central China's Henan province from May 26 to 30 to survey the self-development of religious groups.

The team visited religious groups and venues for religious activities in the cities of Luoyang and Kaifeng, where they talked with leaders of religious groups, believers, and grassroots officials.

The team noted that in recent years, religious groups at all levels in Henan have implemented full and strict governance of religious affairs, strengthened self-improvement, fulfilled their bridging role, and achieved notable results in upholding the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation and in enhancing adaptation of religions to socialist society.

The team stressed that supporting religious groups in strengthening self-development is of great importance for advancing religious work in the new era. The CPPCC should fully tap its role as a specialized consultative body in offering suggestions and proposals on enhancing development of religious groups, giving full play to their roles in management of internal affairs, and further guiding religions to adapt to the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the team said. 

CPPCC members from the religious sector expressed their commitment to promoting patriotism, practicing core socialist values, maintaining close ties with religious communities, and guiding religious personnel and believers to enhance their senses of national identity, civic responsibility, and the rule of law, in a bid to continuously deepen recognition of the motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.