China, Holy See extend bishops’ agreement for 4 more years

The provisional agreement on episcopal appointments, signed by the Holy See and the People's Republic of China in September 2018 and renewed in 2020 and 2022 for two years each time, has been renewed this time for a longer period of four years, the Holy See Press Office announced on October 22, 2024.

The Holy See said it was “dedicated to furthering the respectful and constructive dialogue ” with China and open to “the further development of bilateral relations for the benefit of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese people as a whole.” 

“In light of the consensus reached for an effective application of the Provisional Agreement regarding the Appointment of Bishops, after appropriate consultation and assessment, the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China have agreed to extend further its validity for four years from the present date,” the Holy See's press statement said. 

The details of the agreement remain secret, however it allows the Pope to have the final say on the appointment of bishops in China. So far, 10 bishops have been appointed in six years.

Recently, a 99-year-old bishop long recognized by Rome was finally recognized by Beijing. The only notable incident in the last two years was Beijing's unilateral appointment of Bishop Shen Bin of Shanghai, who was then recognized by Rome in July 2023.

However, no agreement has yet been reached on the status of the Catholic Patriotic Association, which is the Communist Party body that oversees the bishops’ conference of mainland China, which the Vatican for now does not recognize. Under the 2018 agreement, Chinese bishops are now forced to join this organization.

“Through friendly consultations, the two sides have decided to extend the agreement for another four years,” said Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, earlier this morning at a press briefing in Beijing.

He assured that “both China and the Vatican have given positive evaluations on the results of implementing this agreement” and that they would “maintain contact and dialogue following a constructive spirit and continue to advance the improvement of China-Vatican relations.”

Although strictly pastoral in nature, the 2018 agreement represented a giant step forward in the relations between China and the Holy See, as they had not had official relations since the diplomatic break with Mao's People's Republic of China in 1954.

The renewal of the agreement for the third consecutive time was expected, as on his return flight from Singapore in September, Pope Francis said he was “pleased with the dialogue with China” and praised the “goodwill” guiding the negotiations on the appointment of bishops.

“I would like to visit China. It’s a great country, and I admire and respect China,” he said then. 

Another tangible sign of this rapprochement was a seminar held last May to mark the 100th anniversary of the Concilium Sinense, China's first synod. Importantly, among those present was Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai, president of the Chinese bishops' conference. 

As in 2023, two Chinese bishops are currently taking part in the general assembly of the Synod on Synodality, and have even spoken publicly to the other members. In addition to Pope Francis, they are said to have met with other Chinese-speaking bishops, including the Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, as well as a bishop from Taiwan.

Since 2018, however, the agreement has come under fire from critics. Within the Catholic Church, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, considers that it endangers the “underground Church” -- meaning the one that is not affiliated with the Patriotic Association.

As well, the arrest and symbolic fine of Cardinal Zen in a foreign interference case in 2022 cast a shadow over relations between China and the Holy See.

The agreement is also widely criticized outside the Church, notably by the Taiwanese authorities, who have repeatedly expressed their concern. The small island, which defends its independence from mainland China, can count on a powerful ally in the United States, which perceives this rapprochement as a compromise to the principle of defending religious freedom in a more general context of tensions between the two superpowers.

“Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than it is inside of China today,” said Donald Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in 2020. Joe Biden's administration, though less demonstrative, has been aligned with that of his predecessor on this issue.