Islamic Association of China
{{Short description|Religious organization based in Beijing, China}}
{{distinguish|text=the Chinese Muslim Association in Taipei}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Islamic Association of China
| formation = {{start date and age|1953}}
| image = Islamic Association of China 20150613.jpg
| caption = Headquarters of the Islamic Association of China
| headquarters = Beijing
| parent_organization = United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
{{Islam and China|culture}}
The Islamic Association of China ({{zh|s=中国伊斯兰教协会|t=中國伊斯蘭教協會|p=Zhōngguó Yīsīlánjiào Xiéhuì|w=Chung-kuo I-szŭ-lan-chiao Hsieh-hui}}; Uyghur: جۇڭگو ئىسلام دىنى جەمئىيىتى) is the official government supervisory organ for Islam in the People's Republic of China. The association is controlled by the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following the State Administration for Religious Affairs' absorption into the United Front Work Department in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Joske |first=Alex |author-link=Alex Joske |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Reorganizing the United Front Work Department: New Structures for a New Era of Diaspora and Religious Affairs Work |url=https://jamestown.org/program/reorganizing-the-united-front-work-department-new-structures-for-a-new-era-of-diaspora-and-religious-affairs-work/ |access-date=2019-11-18 |website=Jamestown Foundation |language=en-US |archive-date=2019-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721191900/https://jamestown.org/program/reorganizing-the-united-front-work-department-new-structures-for-a-new-era-of-diaspora-and-religious-affairs-work/ |url-status=live }}
In international relations, the Islamic Association of China is a major official interlocutor for China with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.{{Cite book |last1=Shinn |first1=David H. |author-link=David H. Shinn |title=China's Relations with Africa: a New Era of Strategic Engagement |last2=Eisenman |first2=Joshua |date=2023 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-21001-0 |location=New York}}{{Rp|page=79}}
History
In July 1952, Muslim leaders Burhan Shahidi, Liu Geping, Saifuddin Azizi, Yang Jingren, Pu-sheng, Ma Jian, Pang Shiqian and Ma Yuhuai met in Beijing to discuss founding a Chinese Islamic association. The Islamic Association of China was established on May 11, 1953, as the first unified national Islamic organization, designed to build bridges between all Chinese Muslims. At its inaugural meeting on May 11, 1953, in Beijing, representatives from 10 nationalities of the People's Republic of China were in attendance. Since its founding, there have been eight national conferences.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}
In 1955, the association established an Islamic college at Beijing that trains students to become religious professionals. In 1957, the Association began publishing a bi-monthly magazine targeted at Chinese Muslims. During the Cultural Revolution, the actives of the Association ceased but began again in 1979.{{Cite book |last1=Jaschok |first1=Maria |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2rLBvrlKI7QC |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture |last2=Jingjun |first2=Shui |date=2005 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-77716-2 |pages=286 |language=en |chapter=Islam in China}}
In 1980, the CCP Central Committee approved a request by the United Front Work Department to create a national conference for religious groups.{{Cite book |last=Guoyou |first=Wu |url=https://www.royalcollins.com/an-ideological-history-of-the-communist-party-of-china-three-volume-set-2/ |title=An Ideological History of the Communist Party of China |last2=Xuemei |first2=Ding |date=2020 |publisher=Royal Collins Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-4878-0392-6 |editor-last=Zheng |editor-first=Qian |location=Montreal, Quebec |translator-last=Sun |translator-first=Li |translator-last2=Bryant |translator-first2=Shelly}}{{Rp|pages=126–127}} The Islamic Association of China was one of five such religious groups, which also included the Catholic Patriotic Association, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and the Buddhist Association of China.{{Rp|page=127}}
In 2018, the association's parent organization, the State Administration for Religious Affairs, was absorbed into the CCP's United Front Work Department.
In 2025, shortly prior to Ramadan, the Islamic Association of China changed its official logo, removing imagery of a mosque topped by a crescent moon.{{Cite web |last=Liang |first=Xinlu |date=2025-03-15 |title=China Islamic group rebrands as Beijing tightens grip on religions |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302356/what-does-china-islamic-associations-rebrand-reveal-about-beijings-integration-drive |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=2025-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250315144049/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302356/what-does-china-islamic-associations-rebrand-reveal-about-beijings-integration-drive |url-status=live }}
Leaders
The incumbent president is Xilalunding Chen Guangyuan,{{cite web |title=Xinjiang celebrates Eid al-Adha festival |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-09/24/content_21970376.htm |website=China Daily |access-date=2015-10-02 |archive-date=2020-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722223311/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-09/24/content_21970376.htm |url-status=live }}[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/video/2009-07/20/content_8453645.htm "Chairman of China Islamic Association Muslims hope for peaceful society". China Daily, 2009-07-20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074646/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/video/2009-07/20/content_8453645.htm |date=2016-03-04 }} Retrieved 2011-09-07. and the vice-president is Juma Taier.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}
See also
{{Portal|Islam|China}}
References
{{reflist}}