Allegations of a "campaign of religious persecution" in China by a US senator show his "severe ignorance and prejudice" toward the country, said Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry Friday.

US Senator Chuck Grassley, in an article published by US magazine Politico Thursday, wrote that China has imprisoned religious people, burned religious books and demolished places of worship, citing the US Department of State's annual International Religious Freedom report.

China has 113.79 million ethnic minorities from among its 55 ethnic minority groups; nearly 200 million people in China believe in Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity and other religions. There are 380,000 clerical personnel and more than 140,000 places of worship registered for religious activities in China, according to Hua.

"I don't know how much this senator knows about basic knowledge of China's ethnic minorities and religions," Hua said, adding that Grassley's accusation shows his "severe ignorance and prejudice" toward China.

She compared it to the US, where according to statistics from two US research centers, Pew and Gallup, 42 percent of US citizens were concerned about race relations in their country, and that 58 percent of respondents believe racism is a big problem in the US.

Seventy-five percent of adult Muslims were concerned about discrimination in the US against their race; one-quarter of African-Americans and one-tenth of Latin Americans were harassed because of their race, Hua said.

Also, the wealth gap is widening between different races, and race problems incite more hatred and crime in US society, she noted.

Citing a Chinese proverb which says it is wise to know others and know yourself, Hua said she hopes that some people in the US can fully know others and themselves.

Global Times