China denies allegations that recent occurances of church demolitions are government efforts to eliminate Christianity in the country, The Telegraph reports.

This is the first time that Beijing has given a statement on this matter.

In an interview with The Telegraph, spokesman Hong Li said the demolitions are in no way government plans to eradicate Christianity in the country.

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He adds that the Chinese government allows its people to freely choose their own religion and recognizes that this is their right. He adds that the government is earnest in its duty to protect this right.

He goes on to explain the reason behind the church demolitions.

"With regard to what has happened in Zhejiang, there has been some misunderstanding. The demolitions took place because those sites were built against relevant regulations. It has nothing to do with religious beliefs."

The Zhejiang province is home to eleven cities including "China's Jerusalem", Wenzhou city, located at the southern part of the province.

Wenzhou has long been known to be the city with the greatest Christian population, claiming some 15 percent of its population as Christians. At some point, the Christian community in the city had accounted for more than one-tenth of total Christians in the country.

Since the beginning of this year, around six churches have already been demolished in the province of Zhejiang. Among them is the Sanjiang church located in Yongjja County, Wenzhou.

In another part of the Zhejiang province, members of the parish of Xiaying Holy Love held their last mass on May 11 before Chinese authorities had ordered the demolition of their place of worship.

In an interview, a member of the congregation said that Chinese officials deemed their cross "too shiny, too tall and too big." That's why their place of worship was torn down.

Last week, Chinese citizens in the area who oppose these demolitions have come together and organized a union to advocate the protection of the citizens' rights on freedom to choose their own religion and beliefs.

TagsDemolition, Church, Religion, Christian, Catholic, Protestant, Zhejiang, Wenzhou, Hong Li, Xiaying Holy Love