Starting May 1, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will begin enforcing new rules that block foreign missionaries from preaching, sharing their faith, or organizing religious groups unless they receive formal approval from the government.

The updated rules were highlighted in a report from persecution.org, which says this move is part of the CCP’s continued effort to keep Christianity and other religions under state control.

Chinese authorities say the new restrictions are about protecting “national security” and only allowing what they call “normal religious activities.” Those are activities that take place under state-approved religious institutions, which operate under tight CCP supervision.

The report states: “The CCP has long viewed independent religious activity with suspicion, arguing that religious loyalty is at odds with the ultimate loyalty demanded by the Communist Party. The government labels independent religious activity as cultish and extremist, regardless of its theological roots, and demands that all Christian religious activity take place within the confines of state-run churches.”

Chinese state media has tried to justify the latest crackdown by saying it is necessary to prevent “threats to national political security.”

“China’s public security authorities intensified efforts to dismantle cult organizations in 2024,” reported the Global Times, a state-run media outlet. “They have worked to curb the growth and spread of cult organizations, mitigating potential threats to national political security and maintaining social stability.”

China’s Ministry of Public Security also posted on the app WeChat to brag about more government spending on tech and manpower aimed at finding and eliminating religious groups that operate outside CCP control.

Back in January, Christians were already being warned to expect more attacks on their faith. As Breitbart News reported, the CCP said it was “intent on rooting out every pocket of independent religious thought” and has been actively shutting down house churches, removing children from Christian families, and monitoring Christian lives in detail.

Although China claims to recognize five religions—Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam—none are allowed to operate freely. All must go through government-run groups that do not actually promote the faiths themselves but instead encourage loyalty to the CCP and leader Xi Jinping.