The Red Shadow: Persecution in Vietnam and China

The Red Shadow: Persecution in Vietnam and China

While the headlines are often dominated by the Middle East and Africa, the USCIRF report (covering 2025) also shines a light on “Red” persecution—the state-sponsored oppression of Christians in Communist nations.

Vietnam’s Forced Renunciation: In Vietnam, the government continues to treat faith as a threat to national security. The report notes that ethnic Montagnard and Hmong Christians are being pressured to join state-sanctioned churches or face severe consequences.

Forced Renunciation: Authorities have been documented forcing Christians to publicly renounce their faith.
Imprisonment: Dozens of believers remain in prison for their religious activities, with sentences ranging from seven to nine years handed down as recently as May 2025.

China’s Digital Cages: The USCIRF report continues to rank China as one of the world’s worst offenders. In 2025, the “Sinicization” of religion reached new heights.

Surveillance: The CCP uses high-tech facial recognition and “social credit” scores to track Christians and bar them from public life.
Crosses and Closures: Thousands of crosses were removed from buildings, and many churches were forcibly closed or demolished.

**In Communist Vietnam a Montagnard Christian, Nay Y Blang , was sentenced to four-and-a-half-years for holding prayer meetings in his home and refusing to disband his house church.**

**While the U.S. government maintains “friendly” diplomatic ties with Vietnam, believers like Nay Y Blang are treated as enemies of the state for their devotion to Jesus.**

A Tale of Two Communists: The Double Standard

Both China and Vietnam are run by repressive Communist regimes, and both systematically persecute Christians, but the United States government treats them very differently.

In the eyes of Washington, China is framed as a primary “strategic competitor” or adversary. Many of our elected officials openly refer to China as an enemy.

Consequently, China’s abuses are loudly condemned, and it is consistently designated as a CPC for religious freedom.

However, Vietnam is currently treated as a “friend” and a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific. Despite the USCIRF’s repeated recommendations to designate Vietnam as a CPC for its egregious violations, the State Department has been hesitant to do so, preferring to maintain the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and favorable trade relations.

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