This AP story reports that proponents of religious freedom are fearful of an increase in religious persecution in China following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s comments at a Beijing conference where he warned against “overseas infiltrations via religious means.” Followers of various religions have already suffered numerous forms of persecution, including Muslims being banned from wearing veils and beards, imprisonment of Catholic clergy members, and the removal and destruction of Christian symbols.

Despite China’s history of religious persecution since the Communist takeover in 1949, the number of Christians in the country has continued to increase. The story reports that according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, China’s 111 million Christians make it the world’s third largest Christian country behind only the United States and Brazil.