The U.S. Embassy in Beijing is expressing concern over the arrests of people who distribute religious materials to Christians in China.

The statement issued Tuesday comes one day after a Chinese court sentenced a Hong Kong businessman to two years in prison for smuggling Bibles to an underground Christian church on the mainland.

Lai Kwong-keung had been accused of violating anti-cult laws, which carries the death penalty, but he was convicted of the lesser charge of engaging in "illegal business activities."

Chinese officials say Mr. Lai brought into China thousands of copies of a version of the Bible that has not been approved by government. The Bibles are a new translation edited by the founder of an outlawed Christian group known as the Shouters.

Two mainland Chinese who were tried with the 38-year-old Mr. Lai were each sentenced to three years in prison.

In Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman insisted that freedom of religion is protected in China, but vowed that authorities will continue to crack down of what he called "evil cults."

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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