Vatican, China Renew Accord on Bishops Despite U.S. Pressure
Vatican, China Renew Historic Accord Despite U.S. Protests
(Bloomberg) --
The Vatican renewed an agreement with China, brushing aside pressure from the U.S. government which has denounced attacks on religious freedom in the Asian country.
Beijing and the papal state, which are slowly moving toward restoring diplomatic relations after almost 70 years, agreed to extend the 2018 accord on the appointment of bishops in China for another two years, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing on Thursday.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said Sept. 30 during a visit to the Vatican that “nowhere is religious freedom under assault” more than in China. The Vatican “endangers its moral authority” by renewing the agreement, Pompeo tweeted on Sept. 19. He also published a critique of the pact in a religious magazine.
Pope Francis did not grant Pompeo an audience during his visit, with Vatican officials saying the timing was too close to the U.S. election. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told reporters at the time he was “surprised” by Pompeo’s article, adding that a meeting was the most appropriate way of discussing such issues.
Momentum on Ties
Chinese spokesman Zhao said the renewal signals continued momentum between China and the Vatican. “The two sides will remain in close communication and consultation to continuously improve our relations,” he said.
The Vatican confirmed the extension in a statement later Thursday, saying it considered the initial application of the agreement to have been positive and said it “intends to pursue an open and constructive dialog for the benefit of the life of the Catholic Church and the good of Chinese people.”
Bloomberg News reported on Sept. 9 that the Vatican was close to extending the agreement.
Relations between the Vatican and China were broken off in 1951, and reaching a settlement with the Communist Party has proved elusive, especially as President Xi Jinping presides over the most widespread crackdown on religious freedom since it was written into the country’s constitution in 1982.
China’s ultimate goal would be for the Vatican to cut ties with Taiwan, which China regards as a part of its territory. For its part, the Vatican seeks more protection and a degree of legitimacy for an estimated 12 million Catholics in China who have been divided for decades between a state-run authority where the government names the bishops and an “underground” church loyal to the pope.
The agreement, which has not been published, gives both sides a say in appointing bishops in China. Under the accord, proposed bishops are picked by elections and the bishops’ conference in China, then put forward to the pope, who has veto power, according to a person familiar with the issue.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.