Listen to the article
China Intensifies Pressure on Catholic Communities to Join State-Controlled Church
The Chinese government has increased pressure on underground Catholic communities to align with the state-controlled church while imposing stricter surveillance and restrictions on an estimated 12 million Catholics across the country, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report.
The intensified measures are part of a decade-long campaign under President Xi Jinping’s leadership to ensure all religious groups in China conform to Communist Party ideology. Human Rights Watch researcher Yalkun Uluyol stated, “A decade into Xi Jinping’s Sinicization campaign and nearly eight years since the 2018 Holy See-China agreement, Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has rejected these claims, telling The Associated Press that Human Rights Watch is “consistently biased against China” and “fabricates all manner of lies and rumors, and lacks any credibility whatsoever.” The ministry maintained that the government “oversees religious affairs in accordance with the law and protects citizens’ freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities.”
China’s Catholic population has historically been divided between a state-run church and an underground church loyal to the Vatican. In 2018, Pope Francis reached a landmark agreement with Beijing allowing the Chinese government a role in appointing bishops, an attempt to ease long-standing tensions. While the full text of the agreement has never been made public, it stipulates that Beijing proposes candidates for bishop positions, which the pope can veto.
The current Pope Leo XIV, who succeeded Francis, has indicated he would honor the deal “in the short term” and appointed a Chinese bishop under the agreement in June 2025. “I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there,” Leo stated. “It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do, but after two months, I’ve already begun having discussions at several levels on that topic.”
Despite the agreement, Human Rights Watch reports that since 2018, Chinese authorities have used various coercive methods to pressure underground Catholics to join the state-run church, including detentions, disappearances, and house arrests. The report cites accounts from individuals who have left China, as researchers from the organization are not permitted to enter the country.
The report also details how China has strengthened ideological control and surveillance of religious activities while restricting foreign ties. Clergy must now obtain state approval for travel, and the government officially recognizes and closely monitors only five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam.
President Xi Jinping announced in 2016 his intention to “Sinicize” the country’s religions, a policy aimed at ensuring religious practices conform with Communist Party ideology. In pursuit of this goal, Human Rights Watch reports that authorities have demolished churches and crosses, prevented gatherings at unregistered churches, and confiscated religious materials not approved by the state.
The organization has called on Pope Leo XIV to “urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshipers.” The report further notes that the broader “Sinicization” campaign has also resulted in intensified crackdowns on other religious groups, including Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims.
This increasing pressure on religious communities reflects Beijing’s determination to maintain ideological control over all aspects of Chinese society, with religious freedom becoming increasingly constrained under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the Vatican’s desire to normalize relations with China and protect Catholic communities there, while Beijing continues to assert its authority over religious affairs within its borders.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
16 Comments
This report highlights the ongoing tensions between the Chinese government’s stated aim of protecting religious freedoms and its actions toward unregistered Catholic communities. The increased surveillance and restrictions seem to contradict the government’s denials of a crackdown. Maintaining a balance between state control and individual religious rights is clearly a difficult challenge.
Absolutely. The government’s claims of protecting religious freedoms appear to be at odds with the evidence presented in the report. Finding a solution that respects the rights of all citizens, regardless of their faith, will be critical moving forward.
This report sheds light on the challenges facing religious minorities in China, particularly underground Catholic communities. The government’s denials of a crackdown seem at odds with the evidence presented. Maintaining a balance between state control and individual religious freedoms is clearly an ongoing challenge that requires close attention.
Agreed. The government’s claims of protecting religious freedoms are undermined by the reported increase in surveillance and restrictions on unregistered Catholic groups. Finding a solution that respects the rights of all citizens will be crucial going forward.
This report highlights the ongoing challenges for religious minorities in China. While the government claims to protect religious freedoms, it appears to be taking an increasingly heavy-handed approach toward unregistered Catholic communities. It will be important to monitor this situation closely.
I agree. The government’s denials of a crackdown seem at odds with the details in the report. Hopefully, some middle ground can be found that respects the rights of all citizens, including religious minorities.
The report on the rising pressure on underground Catholics in China is troubling. While the government claims to protect religious freedoms, the details suggest an escalating crackdown on unregistered religious communities. This is a complex issue that deserves close monitoring and dialogue to find a balanced approach.
The details in this report on the rising pressure on underground Catholics in China are concerning. While the government claims to protect religious freedoms, the increased surveillance and restrictions on unregistered religious groups suggest a different reality. This is a complex issue that deserves close monitoring and dialogue to find a balanced solution.
The details in this report on the rising pressure on underground Catholics in China are concerning. While the government denies a crackdown, the increased surveillance and restrictions on unregistered religious groups suggest a different reality. This is a complex issue that deserves close attention and dialogue to find a balanced approach that respects the rights of all citizens.
This report highlights the ongoing religious freedom challenges in China. The government’s stated aim of protecting religious belief seems to conflict with its actions toward unregistered Catholic communities. It will be important to follow this situation closely and advocate for the rights of all citizens, regardless of their faith.
Absolutely. The government’s denials of a crackdown on underground Catholics are at odds with the evidence presented in the report. Maintaining a balance between state control and individual religious freedoms is clearly an ongoing struggle in China.
The escalating pressure on underground Catholics in China is concerning. While the government claims to protect religious freedoms, the reported increase in surveillance and restrictions suggests a different reality on the ground. This is a complex issue that deserves close attention.
This report highlights the ongoing challenges for religious minorities in China, particularly underground Catholic communities. The government’s claims of protecting religious freedoms seem at odds with the evidence of escalating pressure and restrictions on unregistered religious groups. Finding a solution that maintains a balance between state control and individual religious rights will be crucial.
I agree. The government’s denials of a crackdown are undermined by the details in the report. Maintaining a delicate balance between security concerns and respect for religious freedoms will be an ongoing challenge that requires careful consideration and dialogue.
Interesting report on the pressures facing underground Catholics in China. It’s concerning to hear about the increased surveillance and restrictions on religious freedoms, even with the government’s denials. I wonder how this situation will evolve going forward.
Yes, it’s a complex and delicate issue. The government’s crackdown on unregistered religious groups seems to clash with its stated aim of protecting religious freedoms. I hope a balanced solution can be found.