Русский | interfax-religion.com | July 5, 2006, 12:39

An Orthodox church to be installed on the compound of Russian Embassy in Beijing

Moscow, July 5, Interfax—The problem of a church of the Assumption on the compound of the Russian Embassy in Beijing is being solved as was announced at the meeting of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia with the chief of state administration for religious activities at the PRC State Council Ye Xiaowen that took place during Moscow religious summit.

Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate reports that the participants noted the importance of developing relations between traditional religious organizations of Russia and China. The patriarch remarked that desirability of cooperation was mentioned in the document approved by state leaders of the two countries in 2004 during Russian President Putin's visit to China.

Ye Xiaowen highly appreciated the religious forum current in Russia and noted the part played by religious believers in seeking harmonious world order. He underscored the importance of submitting the results of this representative interreligious forum to the G8 leaders, thus bringing the voice of world religious public to them.

Alexy II and the Chinese participants in the meeting discussed a wide range of problems, including those of the situation of Orthodox Christians and the Orthodox Church in China and expressed their willingness to continue dialogue.

The Chinese delegation at the religious summit also includes president of the Islamic Association of China Chen Guangyuan and vice-president of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association Bishop Ma Yinglin of Kunming.