China is forcing Catholics to assimilate, and the Vatican is silent
The Chinese regime keeps repeating the line that Catholics must abandon underground congregations.
The Chinese regime keeps repeating the line that Catholics must abandon underground congregations.
Read Full Story at The Hill →Why This Matters
The erosion of religious freedom in China under Xi Jinping’s administration is not just a domestic issue but a litmus test for global religious rights. The Vatican’s silence in the face of forced assimilation of Catholics—once a bedrock of moral authority in diplomacy—undermines its credibility as a defender of persecuted faiths and could embolden authoritarian regimes elsewhere to tighten control over minority religions.
Background Context
Since the 1950s, China has sought to subjugate organized religion to state control through the creation of so-called "patriotic" religious associations, but the current crackdown under Xi has intensified with digital surveillance, detentions, and the demolition of churches. The Vatican’s 2018 provisional agreement with Beijing—which exchanged diplomatic recognition for limited concessions—has failed to shield underground Catholics, revealing the fragility of ecclesiastical diplomacy in the face of geopolitical pragmatism.
What Happens Next
As China’s assimilationist policies harden, the underground Catholic Church may face further fragmentation or forced integration, while the Vatican’s credibility wanes among global Catholics. Observers should watch for whether Pope Francis issues a stronger condemnation or if the Vatican doubles down on its conciliatory approach—each path will reshape Catholic-Chinese relations for decades and signal the limits of moral diplomacy in the 21st century.
Bigger Picture
This is part of a broader authoritarian playbook where religious groups are recast as potential threats to state power, with China exporting its model to allies like Russia and North Korea. The Vatican’s reluctance to challenge Beijing reflects a broader retreat of institutional religion from geopolitical confrontation, raising questions about whether faith-based advocacy can still counter modern surveillance states.
