On the face of it Falun Gong appears harmless. However there is no doubt that it sees itself as running counter to the Established Chinese authorities.. it has literally millions of followers. It has no visible controllable structure.
extract.....
"Kavan draws a comparison between Falun Gong and Maoism, writing that “like Mao, Li has activated millions of people with his rhetoric. His ideology is similarly characterized by moral superiority, defining others as absolute evil, dehumanizing enemies by labeling them snake spirits and possessed by ghosts, extolling the virtues of selflessness and sacrifice, emphasizing the necessity of enduring physical hardship, harassing critics, and denigrating science in favor of his purportedly infallible truths.” "
And.....
"On July 20, 1999, security forces swooped, detaining several thousand leading Falun Gong practitioners. Days later the group was made illegal for “advocating superstition, spreading fallacies, hoodwinking people, inciting and creating disturbances, and jeopardizing social stability.”
Since the crackdown began, hundreds of thousands of practitioners have been arrested and detained. Researcher Ethan Gutmann estimated that at least 15 percent of the population incarcerated in labor camps for the purpose of “re-education” is made up of Falun Gong practitioners. These findings are supported by the US State Department. According to human rights groups, detainees have been subjected to forced labor, torture, arbitrary execution and organ harvesting. In 2009, The New York Times reported that “at least 2,000” people had been killed since the crackdown began."
I would suggest that the Chines leadership sees Li as a challenge to their authority, that can not be permitted. As such they have lumped his followers in with all other dissident groups scheduled for elimination.
From a western Perspective this is a basic human right issue. To them it is a national order issue.
However, and that is a big
However. China is not a Western country. Nor has it ever subscribed to western ideas of the governance of its people. from time immemorial it has been an authoritarian society, based on submission to long term planning, and an orderly society run by administrators appointed on merit.
It is at the moment passing though the stage of change from " Traditional Communism" to a Hybrid one of a state Communist control and a commercial-industrial and financial neo-capitalist working structure.
It has a similar aim to many western countries... "China First" even at the personal cost to the individual.
Not unlike Trump's America First.
No one in China is above the state, or the perceived good of the country. From the poorest to the richest and most powerful, all are subject to the might of the state. All can be removed from their positions and possibly executed, if they obstruct or act against the bests interests and laws of the Chinese people.
The present Communist neo-Capitalist structure has made Chine the fastest growing, and in real terms wealthiest country in the world ( it has no Debts) While change is always inevitable, this is unlikely to cause it to follow the Western socio-economic path any time soon. or to embrace western concepts of democracy or human rights.
While China has always defended itself and its friends it has never looked outside its traditional borders for further conquests. In a majority of cases it has been a defender or reclaimer of territory rather than an conqueror. At the present time its claim on the south china sea would seem to be pushing that concept to an extreme, while it is undoubtedly an area of a national sphere of interest and concern. As time goes on it will undoubtedly try to establish control over all its ancient territories such as Formosa.
In the light of all these things it is up to the west to decide how best to establish a working relationship with China. China is already seen as a more important and valuable long term trading partner to many Western countries, than is the USA. On the other hand the USA is forcing the hand of many countries to make "Permanent " choices. by "banning" certain Chinese products, companies and services.
This has largely backfired, by giving the opportunity for such companies to develop their own competing technologies and partnerships. to the direct cost of their previous suppliers and customers.
Over recent years China has grown faster than any western country. it is the leader in many new technologies it is the sole supplier of many vital rare earth materials.
The inconsistency and unreliability of Trumps commercial decisions and bans, have forced many countries to look to China for long term partnerships. it is clearly no longer safe to put all ones eggs in the American basket.
China's official attitude to religion seems to be to accept that religion is necessary to many people's world view. but to discourage new religious movements or ones that interfere in the purposes of the state.
It seem Christianity is one of the fastest growing religions and the old "Denominations" seem to be officially recognised. Those that compete with the loyalty to the state are suppressed. It also seem that Islam is deeply mistrusted, for much the same reason.
When discussing China it is meaningless to do so with the mindset of either a right wing or liberal westerner. They share no relationship to either of those philosophies.
China is entirely Pragmatic and single minded toward its people and its future.
If you want them to accept your view on a human rights issue, you must first demonstrate that it is in the best interest of their country to do so. not on its perceived moral value. ( if you want them to support better working conditions, you need to show them what the advantages of doing so are) ( they have accepted a modified form of the capitalist business model, because it works to their advantage.)