The National Religious Affairs Administration answered the reporter's questions on the recent Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services which will come into effect on March 1.
In order to standardize the administration of Internet religious affairs and implement the relevant provisions of the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs, five official departments, namely, the National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA), the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Security, recently announced the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services (hereinafter referred to as the Measures). Recently, the relevant person in charge of the NRAA answered the reporter's questions on the issues related to the Measures.
1. What is the background of the promulgation of the Measures?
Answer: In recent years, Internet websites, applications, forums, blogs, microblogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, live webcasts, etc. involving religious content have sprung up one after another, and there have been some notable outstanding problems. They are mainly as follows: some organizations and individuals set up virtual religious activity venues and religious institutions on the Internet to engage in religious activities, carry out religious education, which disrupted and impacted the normal order of religious affairs management; some engage in various forms of illegal fund-raising and feudal superstition activities on the Internet under the banner of religion, which harmed people's physical and mental health and property safety. In addition, some made statements on the Internet that violate the Party's religious policies, incite religious fanaticism, slander and attack religions, or provoke inter-religious conflicts, which affected the normal order in the religious field and social harmony and stability. Some other publicized religiously extremist thoughts and separatist thoughts on the Internet, encouraged and planned violent terrorist activities, undermined national unity and political stability in China, which endangered national security.
The Internet is not a "special zone for religious activities" or an "enclave of religious opinions". The Internet Security Law of the People's Republic of China and the Administrative Measures for Internet Information Services stipulate the Internet matters related to religions, while the Regulations on Religious Affairs rule the principle of engaging in Internet religious information services and set up administrative licensing matters. In order to implement the above-mentioned laws and regulations, it is necessary to refine the relevant management measures through the formulation of the Measures, making specific provisions on the conditions, authority, procedures and time limit of Internet religious information service license, and clarify the management responsibilities of relevant departments.
From December 3rd to 4th, the National Conference on Religious Work was held in Beijing, which emphasized the need to strengthen the management of religious affairs on the Internet. Formulating the Measures is an important way to implement the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, an urgent need to ensure China's network security and ideological security, and an inevitable requirement to upgrade the modernization level of the religious affairs governance system and governance capacity.
2. What is the legal basis of the Measures?
Answer: The legal basis of the Measures mainly includes the Internet Security Law of the People's Republic of China, the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, and the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs.
Article 8 of the Internet Security Law stipulates, "The national network information department is responsible for overall coordination of network security work and related supervision and management work. The competent department of telecommunications under the State Council, the public security department, and other relevant organs shall be responsible for network security protection, supervision, and management within the scope of their respective duties in accordance with the provisions of this law and other relevant laws and administrative regulations."
Article 5 of the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services stipulates, "Anyone who is engaged in Internet information services such as news, publishing, education, medical care, medicines, and medical devices must be examined and approved by the relevant competent authorities according to laws, administrative regulations and relevant state regulations, and shall be examined and approved by the relevant competent authorities when applying for a business license or performing filing procedures."
Article 47 of the Regulations on Religious Affairs states, "Internet religious information services shall be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations of the state on the administration of Internet information services after being examined and approved by the religious affairs department of the government at or above the provincial level."
3. What are the main contents of the Measures?
Answer: The Measures consists of 36 articles in five chapters, which are divided into general rules, Internet religious information service license, Internet religious information service management, legal responsibilities, and supplementary provisions.
The Measures clarifies that engagement in Internet religious information services should apply to the religious affairs department of the local government at or above the provincial level, and stipulates the licensing conditions, application materials, names, processing time limits, etc.
The Measures stipulates the contents that Internet religious information must not contain; standardizes the subjects, ways, methods, contents, participants, etc. of online lectures and religious education and training in religious circles. In addition, no other organization or individual may preach on the Internet, carry out religious education and training, organize religious activities, conduct fund-raising in the name of religion, broadcast live or record religious ceremonies, publish lectures and sermons or forward or link to related contents.
The Measures requires that the platform that obtains the Internet religious information license should sign an agreement with the registered users of the platform to verify the real identity information of the registered users. The unlicensed platform shall not provide Internet religious information publishing services for users.
The Measures clarifies the supervisory responsibilities of the National Religious Affairs Administration, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Security, and regulate relevant administrative actions.
4. How does the Measures define the scope of Internet religious information services? What are the requirements for engaging in this service?
Answer: Internet religious information services include Internet religious information publishing services, reprinting services, communication platform services, and other services related to Internet religious information. Services that provide information such as religious teachings, religious knowledge, religious culture and religious activities to the public through Internet websites, applications, forums, blogs, microblogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, live webcasts, etc. are all within the permitted scope of Internet religious information services.
To engage in this service, the following conditions are required: 1. The applicant is a legal person organization or an unincorporated organization legally established within the territory of the People's Republic of China, and its legal representative or principal responsible person is a mainland resident with Chinese nationality; 2. There are information auditors who are familiar with national religious policies and regulations and related religious knowledge; 3. The applicant has a sound Internet religious information service management system; 4. The applicant has a sound information security management system and safe and controllable technical guarantee measures; 5. 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 or acts violating the relevant provisions of the administration of religious affairs in the past three years. In addition, the Measures make it clear that overseas organizations or individuals and their organizations established in China shall not engage in Internet religious information services in China.
5. Do individuals need to apply for the Internet Religious Information Service License to publish Internet religious information?
Answer: The Measures states that applicants engaged in Internet religious information services should be legal person organizations or unincorporated organizations legally established within the territory of the People's Republic of China. Individual users can publish Internet religious information on the platform that has obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The Measures requires that subjects engaged in Internet religious information dissemination platform services should sign agreements with users to strengthen the management of registered users, and regulate and restrict individuals' behavior of publishing Internet religious information. The unlicensed Internet information dissemination platform shall not provide Internet religious information publishing services for users.
6. What are the requirements of the Measures for conducting religious lectures on the Internet?
Answer: There are mainly the following provisions. The first is the subject, which is clearly defined in the Measures, must be religious groups, religious institutions, temples, and churches that have obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The second is that the platform must be and only be lawfully self-established Internet websites, applications, forums, etc. The third is that the personnel who can give lectures and sermons should only be religious faculty members and teachers of religious colleges. The fourth is that the contents should be beneficial to social harmony, progress, health, and civilization to guide the citizens to be patriotic and law-abiding. The fifth is the management, with the real names of those who participate in the lectures being recorded. These regulations not only give legal religious groups, colleges, temples, churches and religious faculty the right to conduct lectures on the Internet but also effectively prevent illegal religious organizations and individuals from wooing believers and engaging in illegal activities on the Internet.
7. What are the provisions of the Measures for religious education and training?
Answer: Religious institutions are important bases for training patriotic religious reserve talents and on-the-job religious teaching staff. Religious institutions can carry out Internet religious education and training according to the actual needs of running schools and the relevant regulations on Internet information service management. At the same time, the Measures regulates the subjects, platforms, and objects of religious education and training conducted by religious colleges and universities on the Internet. The subject can only be a religious institution that has obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The platforms provide its services only through its own dedicated internet websites, applications, forums, etc., and must be connected to the outside by virtual private network. Participants in education and training can only be students of religious colleges and universities, religious faculty members, and have to verify their identities. This provision not only reflects the respect for traditional religious education but also reflects the advance with times in the legal management of religious affairs.
8. What are the next steps after the Measures?
Answer: Internet religious information service management involves many departments with specific responsibilities. In the next step, the National Religious Affairs Administration, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Security will cooperate closely and fully to ensure that the Measures are in place. First, the Measures should be seriously studied to fully understand the significance, basic principles, and main systems of formulating the Measures, and accurately grasp the spiritual essence and work requirements of the Measures. Second, training should be carried out vigorously to strengthen the training of relevant department staff and Internet-related employees. Training should be carried out at each different level, and the Measures should be deeply rooted in the network and in the hearts of the people. Third, guidance and promotion should be strengthened to comprehensively drive the implementation of the Measures, effectively solve the prominent religious problems on the Internet, and strengthen the administration of religious affairs on the Internet according to law by the licensing of the Internet religious information service subject, strengthening the supervisory duties of government departments, carrying out supervision and inspection and other measures.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
为规范互联网宗教事务管理，落实《宗教事务条例》相关规定，国家宗教事务局、国家互联网信息办公室、工业和信息化部、公安部和国家安全部五部门近日公布了《互联网宗教信息服务管理办法》（以下简称《办法》）。日前，国家宗教事务局相关负责人就《办法》相关问题回答了记者提问。
一、《办法》出台的背景是什么？
答：近年来，涉宗教内容的互联网站、应用程序、论坛、博客、微博客、公众账号、即时通信工具、网络直播等纷纷涌现，出现了一些值得注意的突出问题，主要表现在：有的组织和个人在网上开设虚拟的宗教活动场所、宗教院校，从事宗教活动，开展宗教教育，扰乱和冲击正常宗教事务管理秩序；有的打着宗教旗号，在网上从事各种形式的非法募捐和封建迷信等活动，损害群众身心健康和财产安全；有的在网上发表违背党的宗教政策的言论，或煽动宗教狂热，或污蔑攻击宗教，或挑起宗教间矛盾，影响宗教领域正常秩序和社会和谐稳定；有的在网上宣扬宗教极端思想和分裂主义思想，鼓动和策划暴力恐怖活动，破坏我国民族团结和政治安定，危害国家安全。
网络空间不是“宗教活动特区”，也不是“宗教舆论飞地”。《中华人民共和国网络安全法》《互联网信息服务管理办法》等对包括涉宗教的互联网相关事项作了规定，《宗教事务条例》对从事互联网宗教信息服务作了原则规定，并设立了行政许可事项。为落实上述法律法规，需要通过制定《办法》对相关管理措施进行细化，对互联网宗教信息服务许可的条件、权限、程序和时限等作出具体规定，对有关部门的管理职责予以明确。
12月3日至4日，全国宗教工作会议在北京召开，会议强调要加强互联网宗教事务管理。制定《办法》，是贯彻落实全国宗教工作会议精神的重要举措，是确保我国网络安全和意识形态安全的迫切需要，是提升宗教事务治理体系和治理能力现代化水平的必然要求。
二、制定《办法》的法律依据是什么？
答：《办法》的法律依据主要有《中华人民共和国网络安全法》《互联网信息服务管理办法》《宗教事务条例》等。
《中华人民共和国网络安全法》第八条规定：“国家网信部门负责统筹协调网络安全工作和相关监督管理工作。国务院电信主管部门、公安部门和其他有关机关依照本法和有关法律、行政法规的规定，在各自职责范围内负责网络安全保护和监督管理工作。”
《互联网信息服务管理办法》第五条规定：“从事新闻、出版、教育、医疗保健、药品和医疗器械等互联网信息服务，依照法律、行政法规以及国家有关规定须经有关主管部门审核同意的，在申请经营许可或者履行备案手续前，应当依法经有关主管部门审核同意。”
《宗教事务条例》第四十七条规定：“从事互联网宗教信息服务，应当经省级以上人民政府宗教事务部门审核同意后，按照国家互联网信息服务管理有关规定办理。”
三、《办法》主要包括哪些内容？
答：《办法》全文共5章36条，分为总则、互联网宗教信息服务许可、互联网宗教信息服务管理、法律责任及附则。
《办法》明确从事互联网宗教信息服务，应当向所在地省级以上人民政府宗教事务部门提出申请，并对许可条件、申请材料、使用名称、办理时限等作了规定。
《办法》规定互联网宗教信息不得含有的内容；对宗教界开展网上讲经讲道、宗教教育培训的主体、途径、方式、内容、参加人员等予以规范，除此之外，其他任何组织或者个人不得在互联网上传教，不得开展宗教教育培训、组织开展宗教活动、以宗教名义开展募捐、直播或者录播宗教仪式、发布讲经讲道内容或者转发、链接相关内容。
《办法》要求取得互联网宗教信息许可证的平台，应当与平台注册用户签订协议，核验注册用户真实身份信息；未取得许可证的平台，不得为用户提供互联网宗教信息发布服务。
《办法》明确了国家宗教事务局、国家互联网信息办公室、工业和信息化部、公安部、国家安全部的监管职责，并规范了相关行政行为。
四、《办法》对互联网宗教信息服务范围是怎么界定的？对从事这项服务的条件又是怎么规定的？
答：互联网宗教信息服务，包括互联网宗教信息发布服务、转载服务、传播平台服务以及其他与互联网宗教信息相关的服务。通过互联网站、应用程序、论坛、博客、微博客、公众账号、即时通信工具、网络直播等形式，以文字、图片、音视频等方式向社会公众提供宗教教义教规、宗教知识、宗教文化、宗教活动等信息的服务，这些都属于互联网宗教信息服务许可范围。
从事这项服务，需要具备下列条件：1.申请人是在中华人民共和国境内依法设立的法人组织或者非法人组织，其法定代表人或者主要负责人是具有中国国籍的内地居民；2.有熟悉国家宗教政策法规和相关宗教知识的信息审核人员；3.有健全的互联网宗教信息服务管理制度；4.有健全的信息安全管理制度和安全可控的技术保障措施；5.有与服务相匹配的场所、设施和资金；6.申请人及其法定代表人或者主要负责人近3年内无犯罪记录、无违反国家宗教事务管理有关规定的行为。此外，《办法》明确规定，境外组织或者个人及其在境内成立的组织不得在境内从事互联网宗教信息服务。
五、个人发布互联网宗教信息，需要申请《互联网宗教信息服务许可证》吗？
答：《办法》规定从事互联网宗教信息服务的申请人应当为在中华人民共和国境内依法设立的法人组织或者非法人组织。个人用户可以在获得了《互联网宗教信息服务许可证》的平台上发布互联网宗教信息。《办法》要求从事互联网宗教信息传播平台服务的主体，应当加强平台注册用户管理，通过与用户签订协议的方式，规范和约束个人发布互联网宗教信息的行为。未取得许可证的互联网信息传播平台，不得为用户提供互联网宗教信息发布服务。
六、《办法》对在互联网开展讲经讲道有哪些要求？
答：主要有以下规定：第一是主体，《办法》明确，必须是取得《互联网宗教信息服务许可证》的宗教团体、宗教院校和寺观教堂；第二是平台，必须是且仅限于通过其依法自建的互联网站、应用程序、论坛等；其三是人员，只有宗教教职人员、宗教院校教师才可以讲经讲道；其四是内容，要阐释教义教规中有利于社会和谐、时代进步、健康文明的内容，要引导信教公民爱国守法。其五是管理，要求参与讲经讲道的人员实行实名管理。这些规定既赋予了合法宗教团体、院校、寺观教堂以及宗教教职人员，在互联网上开展讲经讲道的权利，又有效防范非法宗教组织和个人在互联网上拉拢信徒，进行非法活动。
七、《办法》对开展宗教教育培训有什么规定？
答：宗教院校是培养爱国宗教后备人才、培训在职宗教教职人员的重要基地，宗教院校可以根据办学实际需要，按照国家互联网信息服务管理有关规定开展互联网宗教教育培训。同时，《办法》对宗教院校在互联网上开展宗教教育培训的主体、平台、对象等作出规范。主体只能是取得《互联网宗教信息服务许可证》的宗教院校；平台仅限于通过其依法自建的专用互联网站、应用程序、论坛等，对外须使用虚拟专用网络连接；参加教育培训的人员只能是宗教院校学生、宗教教职人员，并且要进行身份验证。这一规定，既体现了对宗教传统教育的尊重，也体现了对宗教事务依法管理的与时俱进。
八、《办法》公布后，下一步还有哪些举措？
答：互联网宗教信息服务管理涉及部门多，职责具体。下一步，国家宗教事务局、国家互联网信息办公室、工业和信息化部、公安部和国家安全部将按照职责分工，密切配合，通力合作，确保《办法》落实到位。一要认真组织学习。充分认识制定《办法》的重要意义、基本原则、主要制度，准确把握《办法》的精神实质和工作要求。二要大力开展培训。加强对相关部门工作人员和互联网相关从业人员的培训。培训工作要一级抓一级、层层抓落实，要让《办法》立足网络、深入人心。三要加强指导推进。通过实施互联网宗教信息服务主体许可，强化政府主管部门监管职责，开展监督检查等多种措施，全面推动《办法》贯彻实施，切实解决互联网宗教突出问题，依法加强互联网宗教事务管理。
国家宗教事务局相关负责人就互联网宗教信息服务管理办法答记者问
The National Religious Affairs Administration answered the reporter's questions on the recent Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services which will come into effect on March 1.
In order to standardize the administration of Internet religious affairs and implement the relevant provisions of the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs, five official departments, namely, the National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA), the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Security, recently announced the Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services (hereinafter referred to as the Measures). Recently, the relevant person in charge of the NRAA answered the reporter's questions on the issues related to the Measures.
1. What is the background of the promulgation of the Measures?
Answer: In recent years, Internet websites, applications, forums, blogs, microblogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, live webcasts, etc. involving religious content have sprung up one after another, and there have been some notable outstanding problems. They are mainly as follows: some organizations and individuals set up virtual religious activity venues and religious institutions on the Internet to engage in religious activities, carry out religious education, which disrupted and impacted the normal order of religious affairs management; some engage in various forms of illegal fund-raising and feudal superstition activities on the Internet under the banner of religion, which harmed people's physical and mental health and property safety. In addition, some made statements on the Internet that violate the Party's religious policies, incite religious fanaticism, slander and attack religions, or provoke inter-religious conflicts, which affected the normal order in the religious field and social harmony and stability. Some other publicized religiously extremist thoughts and separatist thoughts on the Internet, encouraged and planned violent terrorist activities, undermined national unity and political stability in China, which endangered national security.
The Internet is not a "special zone for religious activities" or an "enclave of religious opinions". The Internet Security Law of the People's Republic of China and the Administrative Measures for Internet Information Services stipulate the Internet matters related to religions, while the Regulations on Religious Affairs rule the principle of engaging in Internet religious information services and set up administrative licensing matters. In order to implement the above-mentioned laws and regulations, it is necessary to refine the relevant management measures through the formulation of the Measures, making specific provisions on the conditions, authority, procedures and time limit of Internet religious information service license, and clarify the management responsibilities of relevant departments.
From December 3rd to 4th, the National Conference on Religious Work was held in Beijing, which emphasized the need to strengthen the management of religious affairs on the Internet. Formulating the Measures is an important way to implement the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, an urgent need to ensure China's network security and ideological security, and an inevitable requirement to upgrade the modernization level of the religious affairs governance system and governance capacity.
2. What is the legal basis of the Measures?
Answer: The legal basis of the Measures mainly includes the Internet Security Law of the People's Republic of China, the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, and the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs.
Article 8 of the Internet Security Law stipulates, "The national network information department is responsible for overall coordination of network security work and related supervision and management work. The competent department of telecommunications under the State Council, the public security department, and other relevant organs shall be responsible for network security protection, supervision, and management within the scope of their respective duties in accordance with the provisions of this law and other relevant laws and administrative regulations."
Article 5 of the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services stipulates, "Anyone who is engaged in Internet information services such as news, publishing, education, medical care, medicines, and medical devices must be examined and approved by the relevant competent authorities according to laws, administrative regulations and relevant state regulations, and shall be examined and approved by the relevant competent authorities when applying for a business license or performing filing procedures."
Article 47 of the Regulations on Religious Affairs states, "Internet religious information services shall be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations of the state on the administration of Internet information services after being examined and approved by the religious affairs department of the government at or above the provincial level."
3. What are the main contents of the Measures?
Answer: The Measures consists of 36 articles in five chapters, which are divided into general rules, Internet religious information service license, Internet religious information service management, legal responsibilities, and supplementary provisions.
The Measures clarifies that engagement in Internet religious information services should apply to the religious affairs department of the local government at or above the provincial level, and stipulates the licensing conditions, application materials, names, processing time limits, etc.
The Measures stipulates the contents that Internet religious information must not contain; standardizes the subjects, ways, methods, contents, participants, etc. of online lectures and religious education and training in religious circles. In addition, no other organization or individual may preach on the Internet, carry out religious education and training, organize religious activities, conduct fund-raising in the name of religion, broadcast live or record religious ceremonies, publish lectures and sermons or forward or link to related contents.
The Measures requires that the platform that obtains the Internet religious information license should sign an agreement with the registered users of the platform to verify the real identity information of the registered users. The unlicensed platform shall not provide Internet religious information publishing services for users.
The Measures clarifies the supervisory responsibilities of the National Religious Affairs Administration, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Security, and regulate relevant administrative actions.
4. How does the Measures define the scope of Internet religious information services? What are the requirements for engaging in this service?
Answer: Internet religious information services include Internet religious information publishing services, reprinting services, communication platform services, and other services related to Internet religious information. Services that provide information such as religious teachings, religious knowledge, religious culture and religious activities to the public through Internet websites, applications, forums, blogs, microblogs, public accounts, instant messaging tools, live webcasts, etc. are all within the permitted scope of Internet religious information services.
To engage in this service, the following conditions are required: 1. The applicant is a legal person organization or an unincorporated organization legally established within the territory of the People's Republic of China, and its legal representative or principal responsible person is a mainland resident with Chinese nationality; 2. There are information auditors who are familiar with national religious policies and regulations and related religious knowledge; 3. The applicant has a sound Internet religious information service management system; 4. The applicant has a sound information security management system and safe and controllable technical guarantee measures; 5. 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 or acts violating the relevant provisions of the administration of religious affairs in the past three years. In addition, the Measures make it clear that overseas organizations or individuals and their organizations established in China shall not engage in Internet religious information services in China.
5. Do individuals need to apply for the Internet Religious Information Service License to publish Internet religious information?
Answer: The Measures states that applicants engaged in Internet religious information services should be legal person organizations or unincorporated organizations legally established within the territory of the People's Republic of China. Individual users can publish Internet religious information on the platform that has obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The Measures requires that subjects engaged in Internet religious information dissemination platform services should sign agreements with users to strengthen the management of registered users, and regulate and restrict individuals' behavior of publishing Internet religious information. The unlicensed Internet information dissemination platform shall not provide Internet religious information publishing services for users.
6. What are the requirements of the Measures for conducting religious lectures on the Internet?
Answer: There are mainly the following provisions. The first is the subject, which is clearly defined in the Measures, must be religious groups, religious institutions, temples, and churches that have obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The second is that the platform must be and only be lawfully self-established Internet websites, applications, forums, etc. The third is that the personnel who can give lectures and sermons should only be religious faculty members and teachers of religious colleges. The fourth is that the contents should be beneficial to social harmony, progress, health, and civilization to guide the citizens to be patriotic and law-abiding. The fifth is the management, with the real names of those who participate in the lectures being recorded. These regulations not only give legal religious groups, colleges, temples, churches and religious faculty the right to conduct lectures on the Internet but also effectively prevent illegal religious organizations and individuals from wooing believers and engaging in illegal activities on the Internet.
7. What are the provisions of the Measures for religious education and training?
Answer: Religious institutions are important bases for training patriotic religious reserve talents and on-the-job religious teaching staff. Religious institutions can carry out Internet religious education and training according to the actual needs of running schools and the relevant regulations on Internet information service management. At the same time, the Measures regulates the subjects, platforms, and objects of religious education and training conducted by religious colleges and universities on the Internet. The subject can only be a religious institution that has obtained the Internet Religious Information Service License. The platforms provide its services only through its own dedicated internet websites, applications, forums, etc., and must be connected to the outside by virtual private network. Participants in education and training can only be students of religious colleges and universities, religious faculty members, and have to verify their identities. This provision not only reflects the respect for traditional religious education but also reflects the advance with times in the legal management of religious affairs.
8. What are the next steps after the Measures?
Answer: Internet religious information service management involves many departments with specific responsibilities. In the next step, the National Religious Affairs Administration, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Security will cooperate closely and fully to ensure that the Measures are in place. First, the Measures should be seriously studied to fully understand the significance, basic principles, and main systems of formulating the Measures, and accurately grasp the spiritual essence and work requirements of the Measures. Second, training should be carried out vigorously to strengthen the training of relevant department staff and Internet-related employees. Training should be carried out at each different level, and the Measures should be deeply rooted in the network and in the hearts of the people. Third, guidance and promotion should be strengthened to comprehensively drive the implementation of the Measures, effectively solve the prominent religious problems on the Internet, and strengthen the administration of religious affairs on the Internet according to law by the licensing of the Internet religious information service subject, strengthening the supervisory duties of government departments, carrying out supervision and inspection and other measures.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
NRAA Holds Press Conferece on Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services
