Naveed
A Different Meaning of “Faith”
Xi Jinping talks about “belief” and “faith” often — just not in the religious sense. When Xi uses those words, he means faith in Marxism, specifically the framework known as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which he oversees as the Chinese Communist Party’s guiding ideology.
| Personal religion | None (state atheism) |
| CCP membership rule | Members must be atheists; religious affiliation prohibited |
| Extended to | Family members of Party officials |
| Official policy term | “Sinicization” of religion |
“Unyielding Marxist Atheists”
Under Xi, the Communist Party has reinforced its longstanding rule that all members must be atheists — a requirement that has since been extended to cover Party members’ families as well. In speeches, Xi and other officials have repeated the specific phrase that members must be “unyielding Marxist atheists,” while warning against “overseas infiltrations via religious means.”
Sinicization: Bringing Religion Under Party Control
Rather than simply banning religion outright, Xi’s government has pushed what it calls “sinicization” — reshaping how Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and other faiths operate in China so they function under Communist Party guidance and align with Party ideology, even as the Party itself remains officially atheist.
A Rule Not Everyone Follows Privately
Despite the official line, Pew Research has found many rank-and-file Communist Party members still quietly take part in religious customs, suggesting a gap between the Party’s atheist doctrine and lived practice at lower levels — even as Xi’s own public position remains uncompromising atheism.
FAQ
Can Chinese Communist Party members practice a religion?
Officially, no — membership requires atheism, and the rule has been extended to cover members’ family as well, though enforcement varies in practice.
What does Xi Jinping mean when he talks about “faith”?
He’s referring to ideological faith in Marxism and the Party’s guiding ideology, not religious belief — a usage that’s distinct from how most people use the word.
Compare how religion intersects with another head of state’s public life in our profile of Vladimir Putin’s religion.
