Noose tightens around Chinese Christians following killing of two missionaries in Pakistan

Keen to stop Christians in China from carrying out evangelistic and proselytizing activities, authorities in Beijing have recently ordered a crackdown on the community.

This follows the murder of two Chinese Christians -- Meng Lisi and Li Xinheng -- in Pakistan earlier this year.

Both were abducted from Jinnah Town in Quetta on May 24 and reportedly killed by ISIS in Pakistan.

The response in China was to launch a crackdown against Christians. At least four Christian preachers were detained in the country's Zhejiang province, a website named Christians in Pakistan reported.

According to the www.christiansinpakistan.com web site, those detained were later released but were barred from carrying out evangelistic activities.

However, Beijing continues to target house churches that are connected to overseas missionary activities.

"In 2016, the Chinese government continued its campaign to remove crosses and demolish churches. Since 2014, authorities have removed crosses or demolished churches at more than 1,500 locations in Zhejiang Province alone. The government also has targeted individuals opposing the campaign," United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCRIF) in its annual report said.

"During 2016, Chinese authorities arrested Christians for displaying the cross in their homes and printing religious materials, threatened parents for bringing their children to church, and blocked them from holding certain religious activities," it added.

The Chinese presence in Pakistan has increased in the past few years due to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. To keep the Chinese safe, Pakistan has deployed 15,000 military personnel to protect them and Chinese projects.

China has said it will step up efforts to safeguard the security of its citizens and agencies in Pakistan.