By Cao Ming and Xiao Min, Vision Times
Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback says the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) fear of religious freedom runs deeper than its fear of American military power, warning that Beijing views independent faith communities as a direct challenge to state control.
Brownback made the remarks during a May 12 book launch and policy discussion in Washington, D.C., where he introduced his new book, China’s War on Faith. Speaking to Vision Times, Brownback said the book documents firsthand accounts from victims of religious persecution in China and exposes how the CCP suppresses belief systems in order to maintain political dominance.
“These stories are real eyewitness testimonies showing the persecution people have suffered, and how the CCP uses suppression of religious freedom to oppress people,” Brownback said.
RELATED: Survivors of Persecution Share Harrowing Accounts of Torture, Loss, and Faith
‘The CCP fears religious freedom’
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According to Brownback, the CCP’s hostility toward religion stems from its inability to fully control people of faith. “The CCP fears religious freedom more than it fears American aircraft carriers, because religious freedom directly challenges their control over the people,” he said.
He argued that freedom of belief represents one of America’s foundational values and that Beijing’s repression of religious groups is not simply a domestic Chinese issue, but a direct challenge to universal human rights principles.
Brownback also pushed back against the idea that China’s human rights abuses have little impact on ordinary Americans. Drawing from his time as governor of Kansas, he described several espionage-related cases connected to China that unfolded within the state.
He said one case involved the theft of U.S.-developed wheat seed technology and ultimately resulted in a conviction. Two other investigations centered on commercial interests, though the individuals involved reportedly fled the U.S. before charges could be finalized. Brownback said the incidents demonstrate that the CCP’s influence operations and infiltration efforts are not distant geopolitical concerns, but issues that have already penetrated American society.
Expanding transnational repression
Beyond the United States, Brownback warned that Beijing is expanding its influence by supporting authoritarian regimes around the world and exporting systems of repression. He pointed to conditions in Myanmar, where religious believers continue to face persecution, and Nicaragua, where restrictions on religious materials have intensified in recent years.
According to Brownback, the CCP is increasingly providing authoritarian governments with surveillance technologies and operational models designed to monitor and control populations. He warned that the spread of these systems poses a growing threat to free societies worldwide.
Brownback also cited the National Basketball Association (NBA) as an example of how China’s economic influence can shape speech and behavior in the U.S. He noted that the NBA reportedly earns billions of dollars from the Chinese market and argued that financial dependence has contributed to self-censorship on issues involving China. “This shows that the CCP’s economic influence has already entered the United States and is even affecting Americans’ space for free speech,” he said.
Calls for support
May 13 marked World Falun Dafa Day, and Brownback used the occasion to express support for practitioners of Falun Gong, many of whom have faced persecution in China for more than two decades. “On World Falun Dafa Day, I want to thank those who courageously practice this faith,” Brownback said. “This is not my faith, but I admire their courage to stand up. I admire their willingness to publicly oppose the Chinese Communist Party, and I admire their goal.”
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a spiritual practice that was introduced to the public in 1992. Rooted in the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, the practice also focuses on moral self-improvement and meditation exercises. Despite being peaceful in nature, the CCP launched a brutal campaign to eradicate Falun Gong in 1999. Since then, thousands have perished at the hands of Chinese police, with many adherents today still undergoing routine monitoring, arbitrary travel bans, and arrests.
“They simply want to recover true Chinese civilization, the culture that existed for thousands of years before communism appeared. Communism has only existed for 70 years, and they simply want to reclaim their country and culture,” he added. “I support that. We all should.”
