China official looking to improve relations with Church
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Recent talks by Church leaders with a high government official in the People's Republic of China are expected to result in "regularized" activities for the Church in that nation, the First Presidency has announced.
"The First Presidency and other senior leaders at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City have had discussions with a senior official of the People's Republic of China from Beijing and have established a relationship which we expect will lead to regularizing the activities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in China," read the brief statement released Aug. 30.
According to a Church news release, the Chinese official, the highest-ranking representative from Beijing to meet with Church leaders, visited the First Presidency in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Aug. 24. That occasion followed meetings in February and May in Beijing, initiated by the Chinese representative and attended by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy.
The two Church leaders, who represented the First Presidency, are responsible for overseeing the Church in Asia.
Church spokesman Michael Otterson emphasized that the term regularizing does not mean the Church anticipates sending missionaries to China. "That issue is not even under consideration," he said.
"The Church deeply appreciates the courtesy of the Chinese leadership in opening up a way to better define how the Church and its members can proceed with daily activities, all in harmony with Chinese law."
The Church spokesman said many details need to be worked out in further discussions, but that the pending developments were the result of 30 years of building mutual trust with the Chinese.
"They have become thoroughly familiar with us through numerous contacts, and they have seen how we and our members operate in China," he said. "They know that we are people of our word when it comes to respecting Chinese law and cultural expectations."
— By Scott Lloyd
