Article 1: These rules are formulated in accordance with the Provisions on the Administration of Religious Activities of Aliens within the Territory of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Article 2: Aliens within the territory of the PRC refer to those who are within Chinese territory without Chinese nationalities pursuant to the Nationality Law of the PRC, including long-term resident personnel in China and those staying in China for a short period of time.
Article 3: Religious activities of aliens within the territory of the PRC refer to religious ceremonies conducted or attended by aliens according to their own religious customs, contacts with Chinese religious bodies, sites for religious activities and religious personnel in respect to religion and other relevant activities.
Article 4: The PRC protects and respects the freedom of religious activities of aliens within Chinese territory, and protects and administers the religious activities of aliens within Chinese territory in accordance with the law.
The PRC protects, in accordance with the law, friendly contacts along with cultural and academic exchanges of aliens with Chinese religious communities with respect to religion within Chinese territory.
Article 5: Aliens may participate in religious activities of their own beliefs at Buddhist monasteries, Taoist temples, mosques and churches lawfully registered within Chinese territory.
Article 6: At the invitation of Chinese religious bodies at or above the level of province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government, aliens visiting China as religious personnel may preach and interpret scriptures at lawfully registered sites for religious activities.
At the invitation of Chinese religious bodies at or above the level of province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government, and after approval by the competent department of religious affairs of the people's governments at or above the provincial level, aliens entering China as other status may preach and interpret scriptures at lawfully registered sites for religious activities.
Foreign religious personnel who are invited to preach and interpret scriptures at lawfully registered sites for religious activities shall abide by the administrative rules of these sites and respect the religious customs of the personnel of these sites.
Article 7: The collective religious activities of aliens within Chinese territory shall be conducted at the Buddhist monasteries, Taoist temples, mosques, churches recognized by the designated departments of religious affairs of the people's government at or above the county level, or at the temporary sites appointed by the departments of religious affairs of the people's governments of province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government.
Where aliens within Chinese territory collectively conduct religious activities at temporary sites, they shall be administrated by the departments of religious affairs of the people's governments at or above the county level.
Article 8: Friendly contacts and cultural academic exchanges of aliens with Chinese religious circles shall be conducted via Chinese religious bodies at or above the level of province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government.
Article 9: Foreign religious organizations that have no corresponding legitimate Chinese religious organizations within Chinese territory and their members must get consent from the departments of religious affairs of the people's governments at the provincial level and approval from the State Administration for Religious Affairs before conducting contacts in the name of these organizations or as religious personnel with relevant departments of the Chinese Government or Chinese religious circles.
Article 10: With consent by Chinese religious bodies, aliens within Chinese territory may invite Chinese religious personnel to conduct religious ceremonies according to each religious customs, including baptism, weddings, funerals, Taoist or Buddhist rites. Among these ceremonies, the aliens conducting weddings must be males and females who have already entered into a marriage relationship in accordance with the law.
The Chinese religious personnel refer to those who have been recognized and certified by lawfully registered religious bodies.
Article 11: With consent by national religious bodies or relevant religious bodies at the level of province, autonomous regions or municipality directly under the central government, and approved by the departments of religious affairs of the local people's governments at or above the provincial level, aliens entering Chinese territory may carry religious articles used for the purpose of religious cultural and academic exchanges.
Where the religious articles conform to the stipulations of the previous paragraph and the relevant provisions of the Chinese customs, their clearance of the customs shall be supported by the certificates issued by the departments of religious affairs of the people's governments of province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the central government or the State Administration for Religious Affairs.
Article 12: It is prohibited to bring the following religious printed materials, religious audio-visual products and other articles into Chinese territory:
1)if the quantity exceeds what is reasonably needed for personal use, and they do not belong to the category stipulated in Article 11;
2)if the contents of these articles are detrimental to Chinese national security and the public interests of Chinese society.
Where such prohibited religious printed materials, religious audio-visual products and other religious articles are discovered, the case shall be dealt with by customs officials in accordance with the law.
Where religious printed materials, religious audio-visual products and other religious articles, as prohibited by the provisions of the first paragraph have been brought into Chinese territory by other means, such prohibited materials shall be dealt with by the department of religious affairs or other related department of the people's governments at or above the country level in accordance with the law.
Article 13: When any foreign organization or individual recruits Chinese citizens or offers to finance education of Chinese citizens overseas for the purpose of developing religious practitioners, such funding shall be provided to, and such candidates shall be selected by, a corresponding national religious body.
No foreign organization nor individual may recruit Chinese citizens within Chinese territory for overseas religious education or training without prior consent.
Article 14: Aliens who intend to come to China to study at Chinese religious institutions must meet the criteria set by the Provisions on the Administration of Enrolment of Foreign Students by Chinese Institutions of Higher Learning and have obtained consent from a national Chinese religious body.
Article 15: Aliens who intend to come to China to teach at Chinese religious institutions must be subject to the Methods of Engaging Foreign Professionals by Religious Institutions.
Article 16: Aliens who conduct religious activities within Chinese territory shall abide by Chinese laws and regulations.
Aliens may not intervene in the establishment nor change Chinese religious bodies or sites for religious activities, the selection, appointment and change of religious personnel by Chinese religious bodies, nor may they intervene in or manipulate other internal affairs of Chinese religious bodies.
Within Chinese territory, aliens may not establish religious organizations, institute religious offices, set up sites for religious activities, run religious institutions or hold religious classes in any name or form.
Article 17: Aliens may not engage in any of the following missionary activities within Chinese territory:
appointing religious personnel among Chinese citizens;
developing religious followers among Chinese citizens;
preaching and interpreting scriptures at the sites for religious activities without prior consent;
preaching and interpreting scriptures or conducting religious gathering activities at the places outside the lawfully registered sites for religious purposes;
conducting religious activities with Chinese citizens at a temporary site for religious activities, except for Chinese religious practitioners who are invited to preside over religious activities;
producing or selling religious books and journals, religious audio-visual products, religious electronic goods or other religious articles;
distributing religious propaganda materials;
any other form of missionary activities.
Article 18: Where international religious organizations, offices and their members intend to contact or conduct other related activities with Chinese religious bodies, sites for religious affairs and religious personnel, they shall obtain the prior consent of the designated department of religious affairs of the people's government at or above the provincial level.
Article 19: Any religious activity conducted by an alien within Chinese territory that has violated provisions hereof will be suspended by the designated religious affairs department of the government at or above the county level pursuant to applicable laws.
Where religious activities conducted by an alien within Chinese territory violate these Rules as well as the Law of the Control of Entry and Exit of Aliens of the PRC and the Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security Violations, such violation shall be handled by the designated public security branch office; where a crime has been committed, such alien shall be legally held liable for such crime pursuant to applicable criminal laws.
Article 20: These Rules are applicable to religious activities conducted by foreign organizations within Chinese territory.
Article 21: These Rules are subject to interpretation by The State Administration for Religious Affairs.
Article 22: These Rules shall enter into force as of the date of promulgation.