President Jiang Zemin has demanded tighter control over religion, state press reported, in a clear indication strict state restrictions over worship in China are not about to be relaxed.
Under current circumstances, "the (Communist) Party's leadership over religion should be strengthened," Jiang was quoted by the People's Daily as telling a major meeting on religious affairs.
"Religion should never be allowed to be used to oppose the party leadership or the socialist system, or destroy national reunification and ethnic unity," he told a national work meeting on religion, last convened in 1990.
China's atheist government maintains draconian controls on religious activities through the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State Council and government administered "patriotic churches".
The country has faced persistent criticism about its severe restrictions on free worship, especially the brutal crackdown on the Falungong spiritual sect and the repression of Tibetan Buddhist and minority Muslim populations.
While reminding the gathered ruling elite that "Communist Party members do not believe in any religion", Jiang insisted ordinary Chinese people had the right under law to religious freedom.
However he tacitly acknowledged that international criticism on the issue existed, telling the three-day meeting in Beijing, which ended Wednesday, that China should "strengthen propaganda" on what he called the reality of the situation.
Jiang additionally warned against "infiltration of foreign forces cloaked in the mantle of religion", reinforcing China's vehement dislike of overseas religious groups exerting influence in the country.
China's "approved" Catholic Church swears allegiance to Beijing rather than Rome, and Sino-Vatican relations have repeatedly been hit by accusations of interference, such as a bitter row over the creation of Chinese-based saints by Pope John Paul II.
Jiang has long been seen as the main mover behind the two-year crackdown on Falungong, a recent offshoot of Buddhist and Taoist teachings, that has resulted in the jailing without trial of tens of thousands of followers.
The president once called the group the "biggest threat to the Communist Party" since the violent crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protests.
"Religious people should love their country, support the socialist system and party leadership and obey the country's laws," Jiang told the meeting.
Under these terms, worship would be tolerated, he said.
"Our party... must correctly recognize the long-term existence of religion under the conditions of socialism and neither use administrative powers to eradicate religion or use administrative powers to develop religion," he said.
China must seek to counter international criticism of its policies towards religion, he added.
"In order to deepen understanding, lessen erroneous views, vie with global public opinion and safeguard our image around the world, we must strengthen propaganda on the actual situation of our nation's religious policy and freedom of belief," he said.