Sunday, July 12, 1998; Page C06

On July 1, while visiting a restored synagogue in Shanghai, Hillary Rodham Clinton said, "It's a very good example of the respect of religious differences in China and of the importance of faith in everybody's life in China" ["Synagogue Typifies Gap Between Religion, Reality in China," news story, July 1].

But one must put this temple restoration in context. The temple and five others were built in the first decades of this century, when Shanghai thrived with up to 25,000 Jews. After the Communist revolution, this temple was used as a Communist lecture hall and board of education warehouse. Four of the other five temples were destroyed in recent years, and the renovation of the one Mrs. Clinton visited was conducted only in the past three months. No services have been held in this temple in more than 50 years, and none will be under Chinese law. China recognizes only five religions: Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism and Taoism. As described by Amnesty International, each of these is restricted severely through "administration by a government-organized patriotic association which is responsible for monitoring religious activity and implementing government policy." Seminary students are examined on political conformity as well as theology; the government regulates the publication and distribution of all religious material. This is hardly religious freedom.

The Clintons praised Chinese efforts in allowing religious freedom in recent years. But since 1994, according to Amnesty International, crackdowns on unregistered churches "have intensified," and there are "many reports of police inflicting severe beatings on religious believers during police raids on peaceful religious gatherings." A few examples:

Guo Bole, a Jesuit priest, in November 1995 was sentenced without charge or trial to two years of reeducation through labor for conducting illegal Catholic masses and administering sacraments to the sick.

In May 1996, 5,000 troops with armored cars and helicopters prevented a Catholic pilgrimage. The Catholics were not armed.

November 1997, China began a systematic crackdown on unregistered churches in the Henan, Hebei and Liaoning provinces, according to Chinese government documents, the Compass Direct News Service reported. This crackdown includes the establishment of religious affairs committees in every village to bring unofficial churches under control.

The U.S. State Department in July 1997 published a report stating that China "restricts all actual religious practice to government-authorized religious organizations and registered places of worship" and that the government "cracks down on unregistered . . . groups by raiding groups meeting in private homes and detaining, interrogating, or beating leaders."

China's record on religious freedom should not be praised, especially by the first lady. The restored temple is a facade hiding the true character of the Chinese government.

PHILIP J. CANDREVA

Waldorf