China yet to comment on Pope’s deathpublished at 05:27 British Summer Time
China is yet to make an official statement about the Pope’s death.
The relationship between the Vatican and China has long been a testy one. The issue of who appoints bishops has been at the heart of a dispute since China first broke off diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1951.
Beijing has long insisted that the state must approve the appointment of bishops in China, contrary to the Catholic Church’s insistence that it is a papal decision.
But in 2018, both parties agreed on a historic deal, allowing Beijing some control over which bishops are appointed in the country. This was extended in November last year.
At the time, the Vatican said it remained dedicated to “respectful and constructive dialogue” with Beijing.
But Human Rights Watch said the extension of the deal was tantamount to the Vatican “endorsing the Chinese government’s perversion of religions”. China’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, but in practice, religious activities are tightly controlled.
Former Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was arrested under the Beijing-imposed national security law in 2022, had in 2018 said the deal constituted the Vatican “selling out” the Catholic Church in China.
