BEIJING: In an apparent move to appease its 20-millionstrong Muslim minority, Communist China plans to build mosques across the country to meet their religious requirement.
Authorities are addressing a lack of religious facilities for millions of Muslims who have moved to coastal cities in search of jobs and livelihood, a senior official at the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) said.
A large number of Muslims have migrated to cities from inland regions since 1978 leading to a growing demand for religious facilities, primarily more mosques, greater availability of Islamic food and special graveyards, deputy director of the Islamic Department of the SARA Ma Jin was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily.
Some coastal provinces, especially the top three in terms of the migrant Muslim population found themselves ill-prepared to cope with the increasing need for religious facilities . Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, has only four mosques to cater for 9,800 permanent Muslim residents.
Construction of the last mosque, with a seating capacity of about 5,000 and situated near the Muslim Sages Tomb, was completed just ahead of the Asian Games which opened in early November in Guangzhou.
Read more: Communist China on mosque-building spree - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Communist-China-on-mosque-building-spree/articleshow/7074635.cms#ixzz17jAwZS1L
Authorities are addressing a lack of religious facilities for millions of Muslims who have moved to coastal cities in search of jobs and livelihood, a senior official at the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) said.
A large number of Muslims have migrated to cities from inland regions since 1978 leading to a growing demand for religious facilities, primarily more mosques, greater availability of Islamic food and special graveyards, deputy director of the Islamic Department of the SARA Ma Jin was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily.
Some coastal provinces, especially the top three in terms of the migrant Muslim population found themselves ill-prepared to cope with the increasing need for religious facilities . Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, has only four mosques to cater for 9,800 permanent Muslim residents.
Construction of the last mosque, with a seating capacity of about 5,000 and situated near the Muslim Sages Tomb, was completed just ahead of the Asian Games which opened in early November in Guangzhou.
Read more: Communist China on mosque-building spree - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Communist-China-on-mosque-building-spree/articleshow/7074635.cms#ixzz17jAwZS1L
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