China targets Sydney radio host in war on religion

A Sydney community radio host has come under attack in China as Beijing continues its war on religion.

Master Lu, whose religion has come under attack from Beijing, meets a group of his followers.

A Sydney community radio host, who has fashioned himself as the “master” of his own international religion, has come under attack in China as Beijing continues its war on religion.

Jun Hong Lu has been the subject of negative articles on government websites and in the Chinese state media, which claim he was involved in “illegal fundraising” and banned from entering China.

The Australian can reveal an investigation into Mr Lu was dropped by the Hong Kong Police Force due to a lack of evidence.

China heavily regulates religion and authorities have destroyed a number of churches, most recently razing the Golden Lampstand Church in Linfen, Shanxi province, in January.

As part of a recent restructure of government departments, the shadowy United Front Work Department took over the state agency overseeing religious affairs, which was interpreted by experts as a sign Beijing will further increase its regulation of spirituality.

Mr Lu — known as “Master Lu” to his followers — runs the Budd­hist-inspired Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door religion, which operates out of a small office in inner-city Chippendale but holds mass religious events in Canada, France, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the US, charity regulator records say.

China claims Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door has millions of followers worldwide. Mr Lu and Guan Yin Citta have been criticised in the Chinese media over an event allegedly held in Hong Kong.

A court in the Chinese province of Henan also reportedly sent a man to jail in 2016 for five years and fined him ¥30,000 for promoting Mr Lu’s religion.

According to a Chinese media report, the court sent the man to jail for printing illegal publications for Mr Lu’s religion that severely threatened “societal order”.

In other media reports, which The Australian has not verified and does not suggest are true, Mr Lu was allegedly being investigated for illegal fundraising in Hong Kong. These reports have been reproduced on Chinese websites.

A statement provided to The Australian by Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department said they investigated claims of donation collection at an event called AsiaWorld-Expo in June 2015 and the case was referred to police.

Hong Kong police confirmed yesterday there was insufficient evidence to pursue the claims.

“In September 2017, police received a referral of complaint from a relevant government department about an alleged illegal fundraising case that occurred in June 2015 at a premise on Airport Expo Boulevard,” a Hong Kong police statement said. “After inquiry and investigation, there was insufficient evidence to support involvement of criminal element. The investi­gation was curtailed in November 2017.”

The Global Times reported last year that Mr Lu, who is Australian, had been banned from entering China. Last year, a Chinese news website reprinted critical reports about Mr Lu’s Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door religion. It said the religion was “fabricating” ideas and “harming society”.

The religion is connected to a charity called “Australia Oriental Media Buddhist Charity Association”, which runs the Sydney radio station 2OR, where Mr Lu has a weekly show on Saturdays.

The association is a registered charity with over $5m in assets.