A provisional agreement that would see the Vatican recognise bishops chosen by the Chinese government has been met with controversy. The deal was struck in a meeting between Pope Francis and President Xi Jinping at the Vatican, but it is not yet clear whether China will accept it. However, opponents within the church say teaming with the Chinese regime undermines its reputation for defending human rights and Christian values. Previously Chinese Catholic bishops in the state-sanctioned church were not appointed by the Pope, which had been a key sticking point between Beijing and the Vatican since Amnesty International China Researcher Patrick Poon told CNN the agreement created serious concerns for freedom of religion in China in the future. The relationship between the two sides collapsed in 1951 and China’s ruling atheist Communist party is currently clamping down on "illegal" Christian groups in the country.
A provisional agreement that would see the Vatican recognise bishops chosen by the Chinese government has been met with controversy. The deal was struck in a meeting between Pope Francis and President Xi Jinping at the Vatican, but it is not yet clear whether China will accept it. However, opponents within the church say teaming with the Chinese regime undermines its reputation for defending human rights and Christian values. The relationship between the two sides collapsed in 1951 and China’s ruling atheist Communist party is currently clamping down on "illegal" Christian groups in the country.