China has stepped up its crackdown on Christian churches that operate underground. On Tuesday, nine leaders from the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu were arrested during police raids on homes and church offices. By Wednesday, five had been released, but four, including the church leader Li Yingqiang and his wife Zhang Xinyue, remain detained. The church called the arrests "a concerted operation," but details about charges remain unclear. Over 1,000 miles away in Wenzhou, local authorities began demolishing the Yayang Church building. Videos show bulldozers and heavy machinery tearing down parts of the church as hundreds of armed police stand guard. Wenzhou is nicknamed "the Jerusalem of China" because of its large Christian population. Authorities have forced residents near the church to move and banned photography or video recording. Christian groups say this wave of arrests and demolitions shows the Chinese Communist Party's determination to stop churches that do not fit party rules. The government demands Christians join state-controlled churches led by approved pastors. The Early Rain Covenant Church has faced pressure for years. In 2018, its founding pastor Wang Yi was arrested and sentenced for "inciting subversion." The church continues online meetings and shares his sermons. Li Yingqiang warned members in November about an "imminent prospect of... another large-scale crackdown" and urged them to prepare. Human Rights Watch and ChinaAid have condemned the crackdown. Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, said, "The massive mobilisation against the two major independent church networks shows the central government is determined to stamp out Christian churches entirely, unless the church is totally indoctrinated into the party's ideology." Under President Xi Jinping, religious groups must follow the "Sinicisation of religions," aligning practices with Chinese culture and Communist Party rules. This year, preaching online, organizing children's activities, and raising funds are only allowed through government-approved platforms. The crackdown highlights China’s strict control over religion and its intolerance of loyalties outside the party. The BBC has contacted China’s embassy in the UK for comment. Authorities have yet to issue a statement about the recent arrests or demolitions.