China intensifies efforts to ‘Sinicize’ Islam; Is it a growing concern?

China's approach to religious practices has drawn significant attention as the government intensifies efforts to "sinicize" Islam. This campaign, which involves the removal or alteration of mosques, has been a cornerstone of President Xi Jinping's broader initiative to align religious practices more closely with Chinese culture and the Communist Party's ideology.

In one of the recent videos that has surfaced on social media, shows that the mosques are being demolished or modified to reflect Chinese architectural styles.

China is taking down mosques or “sinicizing” them.

In 2023, Xi Jinping called for the deepening of the sinicization of Islam in China.

Muslims living in the West seem to be too busy staging pro-Palestinian marches to even care about CCP policy towards Islam. pic.twitter.com/Lxy6GRNWlA

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 11, 2024

Xi Jinping's Call for Action

In 2023, President Xi Jinping underscored the importance of deepening the sinicization of Islam in China. This directive has led to a systematic transformation of Islamic religious sites, with mosques either being demolished or modified to reflect Chinese architectural styles. The campaign is part of a larger effort to control religious expression and integrate it into a state-approved framework.

Global Muslim Response

While China's policies towards Islam have sparked outrage among human rights advocates, there has been a noticeable silence from Muslim communities in the West. Many Western Muslims appear to be more focused on staging pro-Palestinian marches, seemingly overlooking the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) policies that directly impact the practice of Islam in China. This lack of attention has raised questions about the global Muslim community's priorities and their response to religious oppression.

As China continues its campaign to sinicize Islam, the international community, particularly Muslims in the West, faces the challenge of balancing their focus on various global issues. The ongoing transformation of mosques in China serves as a stark reminder of the CCP's control over religious practices, urging a broader, more inclusive response to religious oppression worldwide.