On 19 December 2017, delegation of WCRC (World Communion of Reformed Churches), led by Rev. Dr. Christopher Ferguson, general secretary of WCRC, and Rev. Dr. Hanns Lessing, director of theology and union department of WCRC, came to visit CCC & TSPM in the afternoon. Rev. Kan Baoping, Vice President & General Secretary of China Christian Council welcomed the visit by WCRC.

Rev. Ferguson, general secretary of WCRC, valued the friendship set up with Church in China and expected to have a deeper communication and dialogue between WCRC and CCC & TSPM. During the meeting, Rev. Ferguson explained the issue on the news spread by PCT (Presbytarian Church in Taiwan) that WCRC supported the “Independence of Taiwan”. Rev. Ferguson stated that WCRC had never supported PCT’s stance on this problem and would never support them in the future. He indicated that WCRC expected to build a platform of communication to promote the cross-strait dialogue. Rev. Kan extended thanks to the visit and good will of WCRC members first, and emphasized that Church in China adhered to “One-China Principle”, opposed to any form of the activities of “Independence of Taiwan” aiming at splitting our motherland. The issue of Taiwan was China’s internal affairs and should not be meddled by overseas organizations or institutions. Rev. Kan pointed out that Jesus Christ came into the world with his incarnation for uniting, not for splitting. Church in China was willing to carry out equal and friendly dialogues with all the ecumenical churches who accepted “One-China principle” and to share useful experience of building and developing church ministries with each other. 

Then the topics of spreading the gospel, theology of reformed churches, social service work, prosperity theology, and “Zhong Guo Hua” (Christianity in China conforms with Chinese culture and tradition) were discussed. Rev Ferguson and Rev. Lessing shared their opinions over these issues with the combination of their growth and experience of serving. The visitors from WCRC said, “Church in China plays a positive role in the ecumenical churches. The huge volume of believers and rich experience are deserved to be used for reference and study. WCRC understands the political principles that Chinese churches adhere to, praises the achievements that Church in China has obtained like uniting worship, social service and theological reconstruction and affirms the positive and combined effect CCC & TSPM is functioning in order to lead the Chinese churches to be developed in a better way. Rev. Kan wished to strengthen the connection with WCRC and made the due contributions by Church in China. He also welcomed the new president and the general secretary of WCRC to come to China for a visit.

Gifts were sent between both sides and group photos were taken after the meeting. Mr. Gu Mengfei, associate secretary general of Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China, Rev. Lin Manhong, vice general secretary of China Christian Council and co-workers from overseas relations department of CCC & TSPM attended the meeting.