The Los Angeles Times, June 28, 1998
It’s mid-February in Beijing. In front of an old church, a minister with a face wrinkled by life shook my hand and said, “Come back to see us often.”
Today, President Clinton will visit this very church, Chong Wen Men, for a glimpse of Christian life in China and to show that he cares about religious freedom there. The Chinese government would claim that this church represents China’s abundance of religious freedom. China critics in the U.S. will brand this visit as another show to hide the true face of religious persecution. Lost in all the rhetoric and the media showmanship will be a most important fact: This church represents great hope for further progress in China.
Ying Ma 