Five departments jointly issued the Measures for the Administration of Religious Information Services on the Internet.

　　On December 3rd, Order No.17 of the State Administration of Religious Affairs promulgated the Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services (hereinafter referred to as the Measures), which was jointly formulated by the State Administration of Religious Affairs, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Security, and came into force on March 1st, 2022.　

　　The Measures are formulated in accordance with the Cyber Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, Regulations on Religious Affairs and other laws and regulations. The Measures adhere to the unity of safeguarding citizens’ freedom of religious belief and safeguarding national ideological security, upholding the legitimate rights and interests of religious citizens and practicing socialist core values, standardizing Internet religious information services and promoting the healthy inheritance of religions, and upholding the unity of rights and obligations, which embodies the principles of protecting legality, stopping illegality, curbing extremes, resisting infiltration and cracking down on crimes.

　　The "Measures" consists of five chapters and thirty-six articles. It is clear that to engage in religious information services on the Internet, an application should be submitted to the religious affairs department of the local provincial people’s government, and the licensing conditions, application materials, name of use and time limit for acceptance are stipulated. It is clear that online preaching should be organized by religious groups, religious colleges and temples and churches that have obtained the Internet religious information service license. It is clear that no organization or individual is allowed to preach on the Internet, to carry out religious education and training, to publish sermons or to forward or link related contents, to organize religious activities on the Internet, or to broadcast or record religious ceremonies live, except under the circumstances stipulated in Articles 15 and 16 of the Measures. It is clear that no organization or individual may raise money in the name of religion on the Internet.

　　The full text of the Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services is as follows.

　　Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services

　　Chapter I General Provisions

　　Article 1 These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Cyber Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, Regulations on Religious Affairs and other laws and regulations in order to standardize Internet religious information services and guarantee citizens’ freedom of religious belief.

　　Article 2 These Measures shall apply to Internet religious information services in People’s Republic of China (PRC).

　　The term "Internet religious information service" as mentioned in these Measures includes Internet religious information publishing service, reprinting service, communication platform service and other services related to Internet religious information.

　　Article 3 To engage in Internet religious information services, we should abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations and rules, practice socialist core values, adhere to the principle of religious independence and self-management, adhere to the direction of China religion in China, actively guide religions to adapt to socialist society, and maintain religious harmony, social harmony and national harmony.

　　Article 4 The management of Internet religious information services adheres to the principles of protecting legality, stopping illegality, containing extremes, resisting infiltration and cracking down on crimes.

　　Article 5 Religious affairs departments shall supervise and manage Internet religious information services according to law, and network information departments, telecommunications authorities, public security organs and state security organs shall be responsible for relevant administrative work within their respective functions and duties.

　　The religious affairs department of the people’s government at or above the provincial level shall establish a coordination mechanism for the management of Internet religious information services in conjunction with the network information department, the competent telecommunications department, the public security organ and the state security organ.

　　Chapter II Licensing of Internet Religious Information Services

　　Article 6 To provide information services on religious doctrines, religious knowledge, religious culture, religious activities and other information to the public through Internet websites, applications, forums, blogs, micro-blogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, live webcasts, etc., it is necessary to obtain a license for Internet religious information services and meet the following conditions:

　　(a) the applicant is a legal person organization or an unincorporated organization established in People’s Republic of China (PRC) according to law, and its legal representative or principal responsible person is a mainland resident with China nationality;

　　(2) Having information auditors who are familiar with national religious policies and regulations and relevant religious knowledge;

　　(3) Having a sound Internet religious information service management system;

　　(4) Having a sound information security management system and safe and controllable technical guarantee measures;

　　(five) there are places, facilities and funds that match the service;

　　(6) The applicant and its legal representative or principal responsible person have no criminal record and no violation of the relevant provisions of the state on the administration of religious affairs in the past three years.

　　Overseas organizations or individuals and their organizations established in China shall not engage in Internet religious information services in China.

　　Article 7 Whoever engages in Internet religious information service shall apply to the religious affairs department of the local people’s government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government, fill in the application form for Internet religious information service, and submit the following materials:

　　(a) the materials established or registered by the applicant according to law and the identity documents of the legal representative or principal responsible person;

　　(two) religious information audit personnel to participate in religious policies and regulations and related religious knowledge education and training, as well as the ability to audit the situation;

　　(three) the Internet religious information service management system, information security management system and technical support measures;

　　(4) A description of the places, facilities and funds used for engaging in religious information services on the Internet;

　　(five) the applicant and its legal representative or principal responsible person have no criminal record and no violation of the relevant provisions of the state administration of religious affairs in the past three years;

　　(six) to engage in Internet religious information service columns, function settings and domain name registration related materials.

　　To apply for the service of Internet religious information dissemination platform, it shall also submit the management rules and regulations for registered users of the platform, the model user agreement, and the complaint handling mechanism. The contents of the user agreement model involving Internet religious information services shall comply with the relevant provisions of these Measures.

　　The application form for Internet religious information service shall be formulated by the State Bureau of Religious Affairs.

　　National religious groups and their religious colleges engaged in Internet religious information services shall apply to the State Bureau of Religious Affairs.

　　Article 8 The names used for Internet religious information services shall not be the names of religious groups, religious colleges and places of religious activities, and shall not contain contents prohibited by laws and administrative regulations, except the names of the applicants.

　　Article 9 The religious affairs department of the people’s government at or above the provincial level shall make a decision of approval or disapproval within 20 days from the date of accepting the application. If the decision of approval is made, the "Internet Religious Information Service License" shall be issued; If a decision of disapproval is made, it shall notify the applicant in writing and explain the reasons.

　　The Internet Religious Information Service License is printed by the State Bureau of Religious Affairs.

　　After obtaining the License for Internet Religious Information Service, the applicant shall also go through the relevant formalities in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State on the administration of Internet information services.

　　Article 10 Whoever engages in Internet religious information service shall clearly indicate the number of the Internet Religious Information Service License in a prominent position.

　　Eleventh after the applicant has obtained the "Internet Religious Information Service License", any major event that affects the licensing conditions shall be reported to the original issuing authority for examination and approval; Changes in other matters shall be filed with the original issuing authority.

　　Twelfth termination of Internet religious information services, should be within 30 days from the date of termination, to the original issuing authority for cancellation procedures.

　　Thirteenth "Internet religious information service license" is valid for 3 years. Those who intend to continue to engage in Internet religious information services after the expiration of the validity period shall reapply to the original issuing authority 30 days before the expiration of the validity period.

　　Chapter III Administration of Internet Religious Information Services

　　Article 14 Internet religious information shall not contain the following contents:

　　(a) using religion to incite subversion of state power, oppose the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s leadership, undermine the socialist system, national unity, national unity and social stability, and promote extremism, terrorism, national separatism and religious fanaticism;

　　(two) the use of religion to hinder the implementation of the national judicial, education, marriage, social management and other systems;

　　(three) the use of religion to promote cults and feudal superstitions, or the use of religion to harm the health of citizens, deception, coercion to obtain property;

　　(4) Violating the principle of religious independence and self-management in China;

　　(5) Disrupting the harmonious coexistence between different religions, within the same religion and between religious citizens and non-religious citizens;

　　(six) discrimination, insult to religious citizens or non-religious citizens, damage the legitimate rights and interests of religious citizens or non-religious citizens;

　　(seven) engaging in illegal religious activities or providing convenience for illegal religious activities;

　　(eight) inducing minors to believe in religion, or organizing or forcing minors to participate in religious activities;

　　(nine) in the name of religion, commercial propaganda, distribution, sending religious supplies, religious internal information publications and illegal publications;

　　(ten) fake religious personnel to carry out activities;

　　(eleven) other contents prohibited by relevant laws, administrative regulations and state regulations.

　　Article 15 Religious groups, religious colleges and temples and churches that have obtained the License for Internet Religious Information Service can and only can be taught by religious staff and teachers of religious colleges and universities through their self-built Internet sites, applications and forums according to law, and explain the contents of doctrines and regulations that are conducive to social harmony, progress of the times and healthy civilization, so as to guide religious citizens to be patriotic and law-abiding. Those who take part in preaching implement real-name management.

　　Article 16 Religious colleges and universities that have obtained the License for Internet Religious Information Service can and only can carry out religious education and training for students and religious staff in religious colleges and universities through their self-built special Internet sites, applications and forums. Private internet sites, applications, forums, etc. must be connected by virtual private network, and the identity of the personnel participating in education and training should be verified.

　　Article 17 Except under the circumstances as stipulated in Article 15 and Article 16 of these Measures, no organization or individual may preach on the Internet, conduct religious education and training, publish sermons or forward or link related contents, organize religious activities on the Internet, and broadcast live or record religious ceremonies such as worshipping Buddha, burning incense, being ordained, chanting, worshipping, mass and being baptized by means of words, pictures, audio and video.

　　Article 18 No organization or individual may establish religious organizations, religious colleges and places for religious activities, or develop believers on the Internet.

　　Article 19 No organization or individual may raise money in the name of religion on the Internet.

　　Charitable organizations initiated by religious groups, religious colleges and places for religious activities to carry out charitable fund-raising on the Internet shall comply with the relevant provisions of the Charity Law of the People’s Republic of China.

　　Twentieth to provide Internet religious information dissemination platform services, it should sign an agreement with registered users of the platform to verify the true identity information of registered users.

　　Twenty-first Internet information dissemination platforms that have not obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License shall strengthen the management of registered users of the platform and shall not provide users with Internet religious information publishing services.

　　Twenty-second engaged in Internet religious information services, found in violation of the provisions of these measures, should immediately stop transmitting the information, take measures such as elimination, to prevent the spread of information, keep relevant records, and report to the relevant competent departments.

　　Article 23 The religious affairs department shall strengthen the daily guidance, supervision and inspection of Internet religious information services, establish the illegal files of Internet religious information services, the list of joint disciplinary targets for dishonesty and the interview system, strengthen the professional training for practitioners related to Internet religious information services, accept reports of illegal Internet religious information services, judge Internet religious information, and deal with illegal acts in conjunction with the network information department, the competent telecommunications department, the public security organ and the state security organ according to law.

　　Twenty-fourth network information departments should strengthen the management of Internet information content and dispose of illegal Internet religious information according to law.

　　Twenty-fifth telecommunications authorities should strengthen the supervision of the Internet industry and cooperate with the disposal of illegal Internet religious information services.

　　Twenty-sixth public security organs should strengthen the safety supervision and management of Internet information services in accordance with the law, and prevent and deal with illegal and criminal activities in Internet religious information services.

　　Article 27 State security organs shall, in accordance with the law, guard against and dispose of overseas institutions, organizations and individuals, as well as domestic institutions, organizations and individuals colluding with overseas institutions, organizations and individuals to use religion to carry out activities endangering national security on the Internet.

　　Chapter IV Legal Liability

　　Article 28 Where an applicant conceals relevant information or provides false materials to apply for a license for Internet religious information service, the religious affairs department will not accept or refuse the license. If the license has been granted, the license shall be revoked according to law and a warning shall be given.

　　Those who engage in religious information services on the Internet without authorization shall be ordered by the religious affairs department in conjunction with the competent telecommunications department to stop related service activities according to their duties.　　

　　Twenty-ninth in violation of the provisions of these measures tenth, eleventh, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth, the religious affairs department shall order it to make corrections within a time limit; Those who refuse to make corrections will be punished in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and administrative regulations in conjunction with the network information department, the competent telecommunications department, the public security organ and the state security organ.

　　Article 30 If the registered users of the Internet religious information dissemination platform violate the provisions of these Measures, the religious affairs department, together with the network information department and the public security organ, shall order the providers of the Internet religious information dissemination platform to take such measures as warning, rectification, function restriction and even account closure.

　　Article 31 Anyone who violates the provisions of these Measures and the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services and the relevant regulations of the State on Internet news information services, Internet audio-visual program services and online publishing services shall be dealt with according to law by the religious affairs department, the network information department, the telecommunications department, the public security organ, the radio and television department, the film department and the publishing department.

　　Article 32 State functionaries who abuse their powers, neglect their duties or engage in malpractices for personal gain in the management of Internet religious information services shall be punished according to law.

　　Thirty-third in violation of the provisions of these measures, which constitutes a violation of public security management, shall be given administrative penalties for public security; If a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.

　　Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

　　Thirty-fourth before the implementation of these measures, those who have been engaged in Internet religious information services shall go through the relevant procedures in accordance with the relevant provisions of these measures within 6 months from the date of implementation of these measures.

　　Article 35 These Measures shall be interpreted by the State Bureau of Religious Affairs, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Security.

　　Article 36 These Measures shall come into force as of March 1, 2022.