Within the Chinese Communist Party, the "united front work departments" at various levels are charged with handling all matters concerning religious groups or ideologies. The "united front work department" of the CCP Central Committee is headed by Li Wei-han, while the same department under CCP provincial or regional committees take orders directly from Li. Since all agencies of the regime as well as non-governmental organizations must follow "Party leadership," Li is today the czar of all minority parties and social groups on the mainland, including religious organizations.
Within the structure of the Peiping regime, a "Bureau of Religious Affairs" was founded under the "State Council" in 1954. It is headed by Ho Cheng-hsiang, formerly a subordinate of Li in the "united front work department" of the CCP Central Committee. The "deputy director" is Yang Cheng-sen.
The "Bureau of Religious Affairs" controls the activities of five major religious bodies: the "Chinese Buddhist Association, "the "Chinese Islamic Association," the "Chinese Taoist Association," the "National Committee of the (Protestant) Christian Churches in China" and the "China Catholics Patriotic Association."
An "Office of Religious Affairs" exists under each provincial or special municipal government, and its activities are directed by the "Bureau" at central government level.