Chinese province sets up social credit system for religious people only

Shandong is the first Chinese province to set up a social credit system for religious people only.

This new program is part of China’s existing “trustworthiness” checks, active since 2018.

It uses a special platform where religious citizens earn or lose points based on their behavior.

People discussed the policy in a two-day meeting in August. Over 30 people from different cities in Shandong attended.

ChinaAid, a human rights group, says the main goal is to gather and use credit information of religious people.

In the meeting, Shandong officials talked about the importance of ideology. They told local areas to focus on gathering credit scores to manage religious activities better.

The program sorts credit data into three types: basic, negative, and positive. Local religious departments and organizations collect this information.

The credit score has five levels: excellent to very poor. These levels are based on China’s strict rules on religious activities.

Some religious organizations say the system is unfair. They argue that if they have special scores, other professional groups should too.

The social credit system in China has been a topic of global discussion for years. First launched in 2014, it aimed to build a “trustworthy” society.

The system has been used to rate businesses, government officials, and ordinary citizens. Critics have raised concerns that it can be used to control and punish dissidents.

Religious communities in China have long faced strict regulations and surveillance.

This new step in Shandong brings these existing issues into sharper focus.

The province has been known for its religious diversity and crackdowns on religious activities.

The Communist Party has long held that religion could be a destabilizing factor.

This is especially true for religious minorities like Christians, Muslims, and Tibetan Buddhists.

Now, with a specialized social credit system for religious people, many worry about even tighter controls.

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