China's President Warns Against Spread of Religion

China's president is sounding the alarm against the spread of religion in the country.

President Xi Jinping says China must be on guard against nefarious religious influences from abroad.

"We must resolutely guard against overseas infiltrations via religious means and prevent ideological infringement by extremists," Xi said.

He made the comments at a conference on religions over the weekend in Beijing, according to the government's official Xinhua News Agency.

He also warned that religious groups must submit to the ruling Communist Party's control.

The speech comes as crosses and churches are being demolished in the eastern part of the country.

In China's Henan province recently, a demolition crew reportedly killed a pastor's wife as she tried to stop the destruction of their church.

China has also targeted Islamic influence, placing bans on veils and beards in the predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang.