Chinese religious groups that want to perform charity work must now do so without the help of foreign donations.

The State Administration for Religious Affairs recently endorsed new regulations restricting charitable religious groups not associated with the government. The regulations state that “charitable operations under religious bodies should stick to the principle of self-reliance, and be free from the influence of external forces.”

Sources involved in charitable work in China told Asia News that the regulations are largely aimed at Tibetan and Islamic groups, which have political aspects that make the government wary, particularly after the Arab Spring revolutions.