Harper talks trade with Chinese official accused of religious persecution

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HANGZHOU, China – Prime Minister Stephen Harper has discussed strengthening Canada-China business ties with a Chinese official accused of ordering the widespread demolition of Christian churches in his province.

Christians in the industrial boomtown of Hangzhou say decrees enforced by Xia Baolong, the party secretary for the coastal Zhejiang province, have resulted in the destruction of hundreds of crosses and churches over the last few months.

Police showed up in August at one of the churches in downtown Hangzhou and took down the cross, telling the church that it violated height restrictions.

Congregation members vehemently deny that was the case.

One of them, Xiao Dihua, says even if the cross violated height restrictions, it should have been removed by city officials, not police.

Harper met Xia on Friday and a spokesman for the prime minister says the two discussed religious freedom, but he didn’t say whether the churches were specifically mentioned.

Follow Lee-Anne Goodman on Twitter @leeanne25

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