His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia during his visit to China met with the director of the Chinese State Directorate for Religious Affairs (SARA), Mr. Wang Zuoan.
‘We are aware that the Russian Orthodox Church not only has a long history but also enjoys the broadest authority among the Russian public. The Russian Orthodox Church plays an essential role in almost all the aspects of social life in Russia and above all in the religious life of the Russian people and actively stands out for the development of dialogue between various cultures and civilizations. We give a high value to it’, Mr. Wang Zuoan said welcoming the high guest.
During the talk, the parties discussed the role of religious organizations and the importance of traditional religious values in the societal life of the two countries, the current state of affairs in the dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs.
Besides, a positive assessment was given to the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2010 between the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations and the SARA. The side also outlined prospects for further cooperation and considered today’s situation of Orthodoxy in China.
Mr. Wang Zuoan thanked Patriarch Kirill for the assistance the Russian Orthodox Church gave in the theological training of Chinese students. He expressed confidence that the visit of Patriarch Kirill would ‘become a new start in cooperation between Russia and China in the religious sphere’.