Who did they ask to get this kind of explanation? There are a few things that I think are much more of a factor.
1. Chinese have always been spiritual, and that never went away. Now it is just becoming more public again.
2. China is becoming more decentralized than ever, and people can get away with publicizing their faith more.
3. The Chinese government themselves have inadvertently increased knowledge and appreciation of religion by opening up ancient monasteries, temples, and other sites with religious meaning to tourists.
4. Chinese people are becoming much more aware of what life is like outside China, and know that religion is not dead in other places.
[...]
But, as those victims increasingly are flocking to religious facilities in the disaster area and religious groups are holding prayer events one after another, Beijing is reportedly agonizing over countermeasures against potential side effects, expressing concern that the spreading religious boom could shake up its ruling structure.
It will, but not yet. Right now the average Chinese just wants to improve their economic situation, and the government can satisfy them. But there will come a time, like in Poland, that people will want something more. The government will have nothing to offer them, except to finally give them religious freedom.
They want a new Messiah and a new religion in their life.
Communism's true enemy is not Capitalism, but an organized religion.