A series of high-level meetings between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and an official from the People’s Republic of China is expected to lead to “regularized” operations for the Church in China.
A statement from the First Presidency of the Church disclosed today that a senior representative of the People’s Republic of China – the highest ranking representative from Beijing to meet with Church leaders – has visited with the First Presidency.
That meeting in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, August 24, followed meetings in February and May in Beijing, attended by Church apostle Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, who are responsible for overseeing the Church in Asia, on assignment from the First Presidency. These meetings were initiated by the Chinese representative.
Elders Oaks and Hallstrom represent two of the most senior councils of the Church — Elder Oaks, of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy.
“It is important to understand what the term regularizing means, and what it does not mean,” Church spokesman Michael Otterson said. “It does not mean that we anticipate sending missionaries to China. That issue is not even under consideration.