It's not new in Chinese history. The governments of all Chinese dynasties tended to side with "mainstream" religious factions and crush other "evil cults". The ROC's ban on Yi GUan Dao was lifted only a few years ago in Tainan. One of the reasons for that is because in China the religious groups tend to get into politics. The CCP used to use cults as the cover for their activities in the KMT-controlled regions during the civil war. The KMT did that the same way. Religions in China are quite different from those in the west and some of them are used as anti-government political parties. Only when China can allow opposition parties to exist can the real freedom of religion be achieved.