31.   Foreign supporters of the underground churches claim their adherents are ten times the official figure.

32.   Gingrich ruled that out in Beijing after U.S. Embassy officials advised him that attending an underground church would put worshipers at increased risk of government censure.

33.   Gingrich decided not to go to an underground church after U.S. Embassy officials advised him that doing so would put worshipers at increased risk of government censure.

34.   He also played down differences with the underground church, saying some of its members had emerged to join the state-sanctioned church.

35.   He said Chinese authorities are targeting the underground church in Heibei province because that is where it is strongest.

36.   He suspects the reason is links with the underground church.

37.   He said Chinese authorities are targeting the underground church in Hebei province because that is where it is strongest.

38.   However, the U.S. report cited widespread reports of arrests, beatings and executions of members of underground churches.

39.   In North Korea, Boucher said, there are many reports of a crackdown on unregistered groups and unconfirmed reports that members of underground Christian churches had been killed.

40.   Like Cardinal Kung, many clerics of the underground church have been imprisoned for refusing to participate in the official Catholic church.