Persecution

Report: China arrests four Christian missionaries near North Korea border - UPI.com
UPI reports: "Chinese authorities recently arrested four Christian missionaries near the North Korea border, but reasons for their arrest were not provided. A local resident in Yanji, a city in the Yanbian region of Jilin Province, said the arrests were made at a hotel in the town on Thursday, Radio Free Asia reported. All four missionaries appear to be of Korean descent, but carried different passports."

China expels dozens of South Korean missionaries - FT
The Financial Times reports: "Dozens of South Korean missionaries have been expelled from China following a raid on residences and farmhouses in the country’s impoverished north-east, as Beijing intensifies its crackdown on Christianity. [...] There are thought to be about 100m Christians in China — more than the 86.7m-strong membership of the ruling Communist party. If the religion continues to spread at its current pace, China is likely to be home to the world’s largest Christian population within the next 15 years."

Comment: While not discounting the danger faced by these missionaries, this Chinese action seems to be directed more at South Korea that at Christians in particular. Christians in China would do well to remember Romans 13 and respect national authorities.