Islamic Association of China

Headquarters of the Islamic Association of China
Formation	1953; 71 years ago (1953)
Headquarters	Beijing
Parent organization	United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
Website	www.chinaislam.net.cn

Part of a series on Islam in China
History By dynasty Tang Song Yuan Ming Qing Rebellions and revolts Jahriyya revolt Panthay Rebellion (1856–1873) First Dungan Revolt (1862–1877) Second Dungan Revolt (1895–1896) Afaqi Khoja revolts Post-dynastic China 1912–present Second Sino-Japanese War Islamophobia
Major figures Afaq Khoja Du Wenxiu Hu Dahai Hu Songshan Kasim Tuet Liu Zhi Ma Anliang Ma Bufang Ma Buqing Ma Fuxiang Ma Gui Ma Hualong Ma Laichi Ma Mingxin Ma Qixi Ma Wanfu Ma Yize Ma Zhu Shams al-Din Su fei-erh Yeheidie'erding Yusuf Ma Dexin Wang Daiyu Zhang Chengzhi Zheng He
Culture Architecture Cuisine (Uyghur) Han Kitab Mosques Shrines Sini script Sufi orders Uyghur Arabic Xiao'erjing Islamic Association of China
Cities Regions Hong Kong Kashgar Linxia Macau Ningxia Sichuan Xinjiang Xunhua
Groups Ahmadis Hui Uyghurs Kazakhs Dongxiangs Kyrgyz Salar Bonans Tajiks Uzbeks Tatars Utsul Tibetans Ili Turks
Islam portal •  China portal
v t e

The Islamic Association of China (simplified Chinese: 中国伊斯兰教协会; traditional Chinese: 中國伊斯蘭教協會; pinyin: Zhōngguó Yīsīlánjiào Xiéhuì; Wade–Giles: Chung-kuo I-szŭ-lan-chiao Hsieh-hui Uyghur: جۇڭگو ئىسلام دىنى جەمئىيىتى) is the official government supervisory organ for Islam in the People's Republic of China. The association is controlled by the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following the State Administration for Religious Affairs' absorption into the United Front Work Department in 2018.^[1]

History

In July 1952, Muslim leaders Burhan Shahidi, Liu Geping, Saifuddin Azizi, Yang Jingren, Pu-sheng, Ma Jian, Pang Shiqian and Ma Yuhuai met in Beijing to discuss founding a Chinese Islamic association. The Islamic Association of China was established on May 11, 1953, as the first unified national Islamic organization, designed to build bridges between all Chinese Muslims. At its inaugural meeting on May 11, 1953, in Beijing, representatives from 10 nationalities of the People's Republic of China were in attendance. Since its founding, there have been eight national conferences.^{[citation needed]}

In 1955, the association established an Islamic college at Beijing that trains students to become religious professionals. In 1957, the Association began publishing a bi-monthly magazine targeted at Chinese Muslims. During the Cultural Revolution, the actives of the Association ceased but began again in 1979.^[2]

In 1980, the CCP Central Committee approved a request by the United Front Work Department to create a national conference for religious groups.^{[3]: 126–127} The Islamic Association of China was one of five such religious groups, which also included the Catholic Patriotic Association, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and the Buddhist Association of China.^[3]: 127

In 2018, the association's parent organization, the State Administration for Religious Affairs, was absorbed into the CCP's United Front Work Department.^[1]

In international relations, the Islamic Association of China is an important official interlocutor for China with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.^[4]: 79

Leaders

The incumbent president is Xilalunding Chen Guangyuan,^{[5][unreliable source?][6][unreliable source?]} and the vice-president is Juma Taier.^{[citation needed]}

Past presidents are:

• Shahidi
• Muhammad Ali
• Zhang Jie
• Elias
• Shen Hsia-hee
• Saliha Shi-wei