Only a week after a group of Christians attempted to resist the Chinese government’s anti-church campaign, authorities succeeded in removing another cross from a church on June 17th.

Reportedly, a red coloured cross was removed in secrecy with the help of a crane, early Tuesday morning, from top of Guantou Church in Wenzhou, which is considered China’s Jerusalem. Members of the same church resisted a demolition team from removing the cross on June 11th. The recent development has reaffirmed fears that

China is cracking down on mainstream religion as Christianity continues to spread through the country.

An official for religious affairs in the country said religion was spreading excessively and haphazardly, while addressing Communist Party members. In April 2014, government authorities demolished an entire megachurch in Wenzhou, which happens to be reputed for its large Christian population and in March 2013, the Zhejiang government introduced a three-year Three Rectifications and One Demolition campaign to correct and destroy structures they consider illegal.

According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center, there are more than 67 million Christians in China. America’s Congressional Executive Commission on China said in a statement on June 6 that the program “contravenes international norms and Chinese regulations governing religious affairs.”

Recently, efforts to remove crosses and churches seem to have increased dramatically with 360 Christian structures and symbols having been destroyed in 2014 alone. Despite China’s constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion to its people, the Communist Party’s narrative looks upon Christianity as a tool of western imperialism. Also, it is not only Christianity that is facing a crackdown in China. The country has been retaliating against Islamic extremism for a long time.