China and the Holy See: Recent Bishop Appointments and State Oversight

Recent developments in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Chinese government highlight both progress in episcopal appointments and continued state oversight. Since the 2018 agreement between the Holy See and China, 19 bishops have been consecrated with the consensus of both Rome and the Chinese government.

Recent appointments include Francesco Saverio Duan Yongkun in Bameng, Paolo Liu Honggang in Datong, Andrea Ding Wang in Chongqing, and Ignatio Ding Zuyao in Haimen. Notably, many of these new bishops are young, with four of the five 2026 nominees born after 1980. These individuals were educated within the Chinese system and often under strict state supervision.

Despite the functioning of the appointment agreement, reports indicate significant state control. During a recent meeting regarding the apostolic exhortation ‘Amoris laetitia’, Chinese bishops were reportedly unable to meet personally with the Vatican Secretariat of State or the Pope, underscoring the pervasive influence of Beijing on ecclesiastical activities.