Political advisors discuss training more patriotic religious elites

BEIJING - Chinese political advisors met on Thursday to brainstorm on how to nurture more outstanding people who are both religious and patriotic.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top advisory body, chaired the biweekly meeting.

Members of the CPPCC National Committee said that generally the country lacks high-caliber and influential personages among various religious groups.

It is an important duty for all religious groups to train more believers that "are politically reliable, accomplished in religious study, moral and can play a role in critical moments."

Some members suggested government authorities encourage the establishment of more religious education institutions and give them more support in capital and land use. They also called on religious groups to improve curriculums and training of faculty.

Authorities should improve training and provide more job opportunities for outstanding candidates, and strengthen daily supervision over them, some political advisors suggested.

The country should also improve national education system to make all religious people better educated, some advisors said.