by WorldTribune Staff, August 27, 2018

Any governing members of the Chinese Communist Party who continue to hold religious beliefs will be asked to leave the party under a new directive from supreme leader Xi Jinping.

Xi has issued a fresh set of disciplinary rules for the party, Reuters reported on Aug. 27.

“Party members who have religious belief should have strengthened thought education. If they still don’t change after help and education from the party organization, they should be encouraged to leave the party,” the new rules say.

Those who attend “activities that use religion for incitement” will be expelled, according to the rules.

Xi’s name has also been written into the revised rules, as it is already in the party and country’s constitution, the report said.

Earlier this year, China’s parliament passed a constitutional amendment removing presidential term limits, allowing Xi to remain in office indefinitely.

Under the updated rules, members of the Communist Party are not allowed to speak out against central party policies or decisions, and are forbidden from spreading political rumors or in any way damaging the party’s “unity.”

The rules, issued by the graft watchdog the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, say that party members can be prosecuted, but in many cases the most severe punishment is expulsion from the party, the report said.

“Party members and officials must correctly exercise the power granted them by the people, be clean and upright, and oppose any abuse of power or behavior that seeks personal benefit,” one new clause says.

Another new clause calls for punishment who “distort” the history of the country, rather than just party or military history as before.

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  Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China’s Xi Jinping to religious party members: Shape up or ship out, Communist Party, thought education, WorldTribune.com, Xi Jinping