The Vatican and China have extended their agreement on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, signaling a new level of trust between the two parties. The deal, originally struck in 2018, gives Chinese officials some input into the appointment of bishops by Pope Francis. Conservative Catholics have criticized the agreement for giving China too much control, but the Vatican says it resolves a long-standing split between the underground church loyal to the Vatican and the state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association. The pope retains final decision-making power in the appointment of Chinese bishops. Under the deal, Francis has appointed new bishops and regularized the positions of contested bishops, impacting about 25% of the Catholic Church leadership in China. The Vatican sees the four-year extension of the agreement as a positive development that allows for more time to work together. The Vatican hopes for further development of bilateral relations for the benefit of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese people. The agreement has also been seen as a positive step by Taiwan, which hopes it will improve the plight of Chinese Catholics whose right to worship freely is under threat. The renewal of the agreement comes as two Chinese bishops participate in discussions at a Vatican summit of Catholic leaders. The Vatican is one of only 12 states to recognize Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which has been a challenge to improved ties between the Vatican and China.
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Vatican and China Agree to Extend Agreement on Catholic Bishop Appointments
