FactsReef
Ask a question
Explained

Is China a secular country?

China is officially atheist and tightly controls religion, but its society is not simply secular in practice.

Question answered · Brief · · 2 min read · 4 sources · 0 reads

Asked as: “is china a secular country?”

The short answer

China is a secular state in the narrow sense that the ruling Communist Party is officially atheist and the government tightly supervises religion, but China is not secular in the usual Western “separation of church and state” sense. The best answer is that China is officially atheist, state-controlled, and religiously diverse in practice. ³⁴⁵

Pew Research Center says China is “the least religious country in the world” by formal self-identification, yet religion still plays a significant role in many people’s lives. Humanists International similarly describes the state as secular in the sense of separating religious and political authorities, while also noting concerns about religious freedom and state interference. ³⁴

Key facts

  • Pew Research Center found that just 1 in 10 Chinese adults self-identify with a religion, based on the 2018 Chinese General Social Survey. ³
  • Pew also says China is “the least religious country in the world” by formal religious identity. ³
  • Humanists International says China’s state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, but also flags state interference in religious freedom. ⁴
  • The U.S. State Department reports ongoing restrictions on religious practice, including controls on mosques and pressure on religious groups. ¹
  • A Cambridge study describes Chinese secularism as a historical and political project, including “interventionist secularism” under Republican and Communist regimes. ⁵

What “secular” means in China

The question turns on definition. If “secular” means the government does not endorse an official religion and keeps religion under state control, China fits that description to a degree. If it means a neutral state that protects free religious competition and keeps politics separate from belief, China does not fit well, because the state actively regulates and restricts religion. ¹⁴⁵

Pew’s framing is the most useful for a plain answer: China is highly nonreligious by formal identity, but that does not mean religion is absent. Pew writes that religion “continues to play a significant role” for many people, even though formal affiliation is low. ³

Why the answer is not a simple yes

China’s Communist Party is officially atheist, and party members are barred from believing in or practicing any faith. That is different from a neutral secular democracy, where the state is supposed to avoid both religious endorsement and religious suppression. The U.S. State Department documents restrictions on worship and religious institutions, which shows the state is not merely distant from religion; it is deeply involved. ¹⁷

Historical scholarship also matters here. A Cambridge article argues that China developed distinct forms of secularism over time, including “Confucian secular,” “atheist secular,” and “interventionist secularism.” That means “secular” is accurate as a broad historical label, but it hides how controlling the state has been. ⁵

Bottom line

China is best described as an officially atheist, state-controlled, and partly secular country, not a straightforwardly secular democracy. The most honest short answer is: yes, in a limited sense; no, if you mean religious neutrality and freedom. ¹³⁴⁵

Frequently asked questions

Is China officially atheist?

Yes. Pew says China’s ruling ideology is atheist, and the U.S. State Department and Humanists International both describe a system in which the Communist Party and state tightly control religious life. That is an official atheistic framework, not a religious one. ¹³⁴

Does China separate religion from government?

Only partly. Humanists International says there is separation of religious and political authorities, but the U.S. State Department reports extensive government supervision and restriction of religious activity. So the state is not religiously neutral in the way many secular democracies try to be. ¹⁴

Is China more religious or nonreligious in practice?

By formal self-identification, it is strongly nonreligious: Pew found only about 10% of adults identify with a religion. But Pew also says religion still shapes daily life for many people, so social practice is more religiously complex than the official picture suggests. ³

Why do some sources call China secular and others do not?

Because they use different definitions. Some use “secular” to mean nonreligious government and weak formal affiliation; others require freedom of religion and a clear wall between state and belief. China matches the first definition better than the second. ³⁴⁵

Sources

Numbered to match the footnotes above. Every link opens the original.

  1. 1.
    China (Includes Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and Xinjiang) - United States Department of StateUnited States Department of State · state.gov · 15 Dec 2022
  2. 2.
    Is China a religious country or not?Pew Research Center · pewresearch.org · 30 Aug 2023
  3. 3.
    China - Freedom of Thought ReportHumanists International · fot.humanists.international · 11 Apr 2025
  4. 4.
    Typologies of Secularism in China: Religion, Superstition ...Cambridge University Press · cambridge.org · 1 Jan 2024
Research trail3 searches · 7 pages consulted · fast pass on September 25, 2026

Searches run

  • › is china a secular country
  • › is china a secular country fact check
  • › is china a secular country study evidence

How this brief was made

Written on September 25, 2026 by FactsReef's research engine (gpt-5.4-mini) from live web searches run at the time. It cites 4 sources and reached the verdict Explained. A question rather than a claim, answered with sources. Facts change; if a source has moved or the record has shifted, tell us.

SharePost on XLinkedInEmail

Ask a follow-up

Something this brief did not cover? Ask, and it gets its own page.