Between Popes, Two Bishops: Observing China’s Moves and the Vatican’s Silence

On May 9, Professor John Lindblom provided a comprehensive overview and many insights into the relationship of Pope Francis and China on the ChinaSource website.¹ Although I am a double outsider—neither being based in China nor a Roman-Catholic Christian—my years of work on the Chinese church have shaped how I perceive developments like this one. There are two observations that lead me to wonder how the relationship between the Roman-Catholic church and China may develop.

The Opaque “Provisional Agreement” on Bishops

It is well-known that the “Provisional Agreement on the appointment of bishops” was prolonged for four years in September 2024, so this will be the framework in which the relationship develops. However, the content of the agreement has not been made public by either party, so the mechanics of consultation, consideration, and final agreement in appointing bishops in China are not known.

China’s Unilateral Move During the Papal Transition

Now, in the period of the “sede vacante,” between Pope Francis’ passing on April 21 and the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, the Chinese authorities decided to do what the Catholic Church could not do in this period: to “elect” not just one, but two bishops. Father Wu Jianlin was elected as auxiliary bishop in the Shanghai diocese, while Father Li Jianlin was elected the bishop of the Xinxiang diocese.² The latter diocese already has a Vatican-approved bishop, Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu.

Implications of China’s Bishop Appointments

While the exact motives for this move may not be immediately clear, at the very least it may be perceived as a unilateral move: the authorities decided to demonstrate that they neither need nor look for an agreement when it comes to the election of bishops in the country. That China congratulated the new pope and said it “hopes to continue a constructive dialogue,”³ rings hollow against this background and reminded me of something the EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs was quoted as saying after a meeting with Chinese officials in 2022: “The dialogue was anything but a dialogue. In any case, it was a dialogue of the deaf.”⁴

A Strained Dialogue: China’s Message to the Vatican

This assessment seems to be underlined by the fact that China did not send a delegation to Pope Francis’s funeral⁵ (although it should be noted there was no official delegation sent to Pope Benedict’s funeral either). Likewise, it is noteworthy that the official Catholic Patriotic Association dedicated two lines to the passing of Pope Francis and apparently did not share any obituary, but highlighted an important historical date for the Communist Party⁶.

Challenges Ahead for Pope Leo XIV and Chinese Catholics

It remains to be seen which approach the new Pope Leo XIV will take, but under current conditions, meaningful dialogue may prove difficult. We are likely to hear more stories of unilaterally elected bishops, and it will be important to observe how the new pope responds. It seems fair to say that the road ahead will remain challenging for Catholic Christians in China, especially for those who are staying faithful to the pope.

1. John A. Lindblom, “Pope Francis and China,” ChinaSource, May 9, 2025, accessed May 25, 2025, https://chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/pope-francis-and-china/.
2. “China Secretly ‘Elected’ Two Catholic Bishops: Reports,” UCA News, May 6, 2025, accessed May 25, 2025, https://www.ucanews.com/news/china-secretly-elected-two-catholic-bishops-reports/1088352025.
3. “China Congratulates Pope Leo, Hopes for ‘Dialogue’,” UCA News, May 9, 2025, accessed May 25, 2025, https://www.ucanews.com/news/china-congratulates-pope-leo-hopes-for-dialogue/108922.
4. Simone McCarthy, “China Once Saw Europe as a Counter to US Power. Now Ties Are at an Abysmal Low,” CNN, July 18, 2022, accessed May 25, 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/17/china/china-europe-relations-ukraine-russia-intl-mic-hnk/index.html.
5. “Did China ‘Slap’ Francis in His Coffin?” UCA News, April 28, 2025, accessed May 25, 2025, https://www.ucanews.com/news/did-china-slap-francis-in-his-coffin/108695.
6. Massimo Introvigne, “Pope Francis Dies, Chinese Catholics Mourn the Red War Dead of Nanjing,” Bitter Winter, April 29, 2025, accessed May 25, 2025, https://bitterwinter.org/pope-francis-dies-chinese-catholics-mourn-the-red-war-dead-of-nanjing/.