politics - Anglicans bet on China

President Hu Jintao's bid to create a "harmonius socialist society" is taking on different forms and shapes, including an interest in religion as a tool to manage society. The Anglican church is one of many organization that is looking to improve relations with China, AP reports, after Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, the formal head of the church, paid a two-week visit to the country.

Chinese officials discussed the role of religion in 'building a harmonious society,' said Williams, referring to the Communist Party phrase for efforts to spread prosperity and ease tensions over the gap between China's rich and poor. One senior official talked about 'the potential significance of Christian Sunday schools in backing up the growth of a mature and stable public morality,' Williams said at a news conference.