BEIJING, Aug 5 (INP): Over 11,000 Muslims from Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regions will perform Hajj this year, on the special arrangements of the Chinese government.

These intending pilgrims began their journey for Makkah, Saudi Arabia from Urumqi, the provincial capital.

According to Head of Xinjiang Muslim Hajj Group, Aibaidula Saidula, the number of Chinese Muslims performing Haj is growing with every passing year.

They are being given full support from the Xinjiang’s administration as well as the Central government for performing their religious practices.

He said the Muslims in China are enjoying complete religious freedom. This is unfortunate that some Western countries and foreign media are engaged in creating misgivings about the religious freedom in China.

The Chinese government is quite accommodating in providing them due facilities in performing Haj and other rituals, he added.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, Chinese government protects its citizens' freedom of religious belief and people of all ethnic groups enjoy full religious freedom in accordance with law.

There is a total of nearly 200 million believers, including 20 million Muslims, more than 380,000 clerical personnel, approximately 5,500 religious groups and about 140,000 places of worship registered for religious activities in China.

There are 24,400 mosques in Xinjiang, which means a mosque for 530 Muslims on average. People of all ethnic groups enjoy full freedom of religious belief. China's ethnic and religious policies are open and transparent.

According to a white-paper issued by the State Council Information Office of China, the country adopts policies on freedom of religious belief, and that such freedom is protected under the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.

Respecting and protecting freedom of religious belief is a basic policy of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.

"Believers and non-believers enjoy the same political, economic, social and cultural rights, and must not be treated differently because of a difference in belief," the white paper said, adding that the state respects citizens' freedom to religious belief and protects their normal religious activities.

It said China manages religious affairs in accordance with the law, adheres to the principle of independence and self-management, actively guides religions to adapt to the socialist society, and unites religious believers and non-believers to the greatest extent.

INP/J/AJ