Taipei church criticized for calling Xi Jinping "Xi Dada" in its bulletins
A Taipei church is under fire for using Chinese Communist Party language in its newsletters, including a children's edition — a warning sign for people worried about Beijing's influence campaign in Taiwan.
- The Hallelujah Church in Taipei's Da'an district praised Xi Jinping as "Xi Dada" and said his "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" would benefit the world.
- Wu Hsin-tai, a Taiwan Statebuilding Party candidate for Taipei city council, says the church is feeding dictatorship-friendly talking points to children.
- The church has done missionary work in China for years and links its mission to unification themes on its website.
- Critics point to China's actual record: only state-approved churches are allowed, while independent house churches get raided and their pastors jailed.
- Wang Yi, pastor of a well-known church in Chengdu, is serving a nine-year sentence for "inciting subversion," and his congregation still faces police raids.
Outlook: Expect more scrutiny of religious groups with China ties as Taiwan's local elections approach.