Understanding the current relationship between the Vatican and China requires examining the delicate intersections between religious sovereignty and political allegiance, necessitating a careful and up-to-date analysis of this dynamic. Beijing seeks to bolster its international legitimacy through its rapprochement with the Vatican, aiming to project an image of China as a nation that respects dialogue and manages its relations with international institutions without external interference in its sovereignty. The relationship between the Vatican and Beijing is based on a provisional agreement (periodically extended since 2018) intended to regulate the appointment of Catholic bishops within China. The Vatican seeks to end the division between the official church (controlled by the Chinese state) and the shadow church (loyal to the Pope in China), while Beijing uses the agreement to legitimize the clergy under its supervision. The shared objective remains avoiding conflict, despite the persistent challenges related to religious freedom and full diplomatic recognition between the Vatican and the Chinese government.
In May 2024, the Vatican expressed its desire to open a permanent diplomatic mission in Beijing, a move that China responded to positively. The Vatican was keen to alleviate pressure on Catholics in China, particularly on clergy not officially registered and those not affiliated with the pro-government National Association of Catholics of China. Since May 2024, serious negotiations have been underway to establish a permanent Vatican office in Beijing, a historic step that could pave the way for the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the Chinese government and the Vatican. This is especially significant given the Vatican’s desire for official representation in China and to protect the rights of independent Chinese clergy. Relations between Beijing and the Vatican are currently experiencing a delicate phase of cautious rapprochement, as there have been no formal diplomatic ties since 1951. Chinese circles welcomed the Vatican’s agreement on bishops in October 2024, which extended the provisional agreement for the appointment of bishops in China to four years instead of two, indicating a mutual desire for more stable relations. The provisional agreement between the Vatican and Beijing (first signed in 2018) was renewed in late 2024, extending the appointment of Catholic bishops in China to four years instead of two, to ensure the continuation of dialogue between the Holy See and Beijing. Through this agreement, the Vatican seeks to unify Chinese Catholics, who are divided between the official church (affiliated with the Chinese state) and the underground church directly linked to the Vatican and operating outside official Chinese channels, while granting the Pope the final say in the appointment of bishops. These recent developments point to a small-steps strategy being pursued by Beijing and the Vatican to overcome decades of estrangement, carefully balancing diplomatic interests with human rights challenges.
The Vatican seeks to ensure an official church presence and protect the rights of Chinese Catholics through direct dialogue with Beijing. Beijing sees this rapprochement with the Vatican as a means to bolster the legitimacy of the national Church and ensure its alignment with the political orientations of the Chinese state, especially given the Chinese warnings and ongoing persecution of Chinese Catholic bishops and clergy who refuse to join the pro-government Chinese Catholic National Association. This conflict creates a persistent challenge for the Vatican, raising the question: Is sacrificing some of the Vatican’s independence to open a permanent representative office in Beijing, in exchange for official access for Chinese Catholics, worth the price? Thus, we understand the current relationship between the Chinese government and the Vatican as a phase of technical normalization that has not yet reached the level of a political alliance. The issue of episcopal appointments remains the primary driver in determining the nature of the relationship with Beijing, while the rights of Chinese Catholics remain in a stalemate and a point of contention between the bishops and the Pope of the Vatican and China.
The Vatican’s efforts to ensure an official ecclesiastical presence and protect the rights of Chinese Catholics through ongoing dialogue continued into 2026. The landmark agreement on the appointment of bishops in China was extended for an additional four years in October 2024, remaining in effect until 2028. Despite this rapprochement, the Catholic Church faces increasing pressure and challenges related to freedom of worship, particularly for underground Catholic communities in China. This is especially true given the ongoing restrictions on the religious freedom of Chinese Catholics, with Chinese authorities exerting increasing pressure on Catholic clergy and faithful not registered with the official state Catholic Church of China. The Chinese ecclesiastical position was reflected in February 2026 when the official body of Catholic bishops in China announced its support for the new government regulations in China, demonstrating the delicate and complex balance within which the Catholic Church operates there. Nevertheless, the Pope and the Vatican believe that dialogue with China remains the primary tool the Vatican relies on at present to gradually improve bilateral relations and ensure the Catholic Church’s continued integration into the fabric of Chinese society, despite numerous difficulties and challenges.
Beijing’s primary objective in its confrontation with the Vatican remains ensuring national stability and legitimacy through enhanced oversight and control. China believes that any religious organization must adhere to the principle of Sinicization, that is, aligning religious doctrines with socialism and Chinese culture. Through this agreement, Beijing ensures a mechanism for controlling appointments, meaning that candidates for the episcopate must be politically acceptable and loyal to the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, the Vatican’s objectives remain focused on spiritual guidance before politics, as demonstrated by its efforts to unify the Catholic Church globally and with Chinese circles. The current pope, Liu XIV, is working to end the internal division between bishops appointed by the Chinese government and those appointed by the Vatican. With the Vatican’s insistence on papal legitimacy, ensuring the Pope has the final say or a key role in appointing Chinese Catholic bishops, the Catholic Church in China is given a global Catholic character rather than isolation from the rest of the Catholic world. The Vatican is also keen to protect its flock, attempting to shield Chinese Catholics from legal persecution by legitimizing their activities, with Vatican support and agreement with China.
One of the most significant current challenges in the relationship between the Chinese government and the Vatican remains the issue of the Vatican’s diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. The Vatican maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which Beijing rejects, thus hindering the establishment of full formal relations between them. In addition to the issue of religious freedom for Chinese Catholics, there are disagreements between China and the Vatican regarding China’s continued pressure on official Catholic churches, even after the Vatican agreed to a diplomatic presence, a permanent headquarters, and a diplomatic mission in China. This places the Vatican in a difficult position, caught between diplomacy and defending the rights of Catholics within China.
Therefore, we understand the relationship between Beijing and the Vatican as representing a point of pragmatic understanding rather than an ideological alliance. The Vatican makes organizational concessions to China in exchange for a guaranteed public and official diplomatic presence within Chinese circles, while Beijing offers formal recognition of the Pope’s role in exchange for ensuring the religious establishment’s loyalty to Chinese state policies.
