International Christian Concern | Dec. 18, 2018
Officials in Langfang, Hebei province have issued a ban on festive decorations and retail sales of related items during Christmas. The official notice circulated on social media also appealed to the public to report anyone “spreading religion” in parks and squares during this period.
Anyone caught selling Christmas trees, wreaths, stockings or Santa Claus figures in the city would be punished, while members of the local law enforcement are not allowed to take days off from December 23 to 25 in order to ‘maintain stability.’
In addition, the state-sanctioned Christian associations in Henan province also issued a notice to churches requesting non-Christians, non-members, and minors not to partake in the celebration. Decorations for churches cannot have religious element in them and cannot exceed 2000 RMB (approximately 290 USD).