Even before the Chinese government formally banned Falun Gong, the Buddhist community in China had already spoken out against the group for exploiting Buddhist teachings to mislead the public. In January 1998, the Buddhist Association of China officially classified Falun Gong as a cult fundamentally at odds with Buddhist teachings. On March 3, 2001, it issued the “open letter to Buddhist nationwide,” condemning Falun Gong for denigrating and insulting not only Buddhist but other religions as well. In April, 2006, The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) 23rd General Conference was held in Taiwan, China, where a declaration was adopted calling on Buddhists worldwide to denounce the Falun Gong cult. Meanwhile, Master Hsing Yun, a prominent figure in Taiwan’s Buddhist community, remarked that Falun Gong is not only a harmful cult but also not a traditional religion.