New Delhi:China's ruling Communist Party has directed its members to shun religion for maintaining party unity. It also warned its 90 million members that religious belief is aredline for the cadres and those who resist would be punished. 

Next to Buddhism, Christianity is regarded as the fastest growing religion in Communist China. China also has over 20 million Muslims.

Director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), Wang Zuoan, wrote in a Party magazine that party members should not seek value and faith in religion and those who have religious beliefs should be persuaded to give them up. 

He said officials who have religious faith should be persuaded to give it up, and those who resist would be punished by the party organisation. Wang said some foreign forces have used religion to infiltrate China, which have threatened national security and social stability.