Newly elected Pope Leo XIV has recognised the importance of maintaining communication with mainland Chinese authorities and will follow the course set by his predecessor regarding Beijing-Vatican ties, Hong Kong’s Catholic bishop has revealed.
Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan disclosed the details in an article published in Catholic newspaper the Sunday Examiner on Thursday, two days after his first significant meeting with the new pontiff since taking part in the conclave in May.
The meeting, held at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, was intended as “an in-depth exchange on the situation of the church in China”, according to the article.
The US pontiff “intends to continue the direction set by [late] Pope Francis in dealing with China,” Chow told the weekly paper.
“He recognises the importance of dialogue between the church and the mainland authorities, and considers respectful communication a priority in addressing challenges in China-Vatican relations.”
He added that the pope was open to learning more about the church’s situation on the mainland and was receptive to different perspectives.
“The Holy Father is not entirely unaware of the church in China, as he has already gathered insights from multiple sources and through the Sino-Vatican agreement,” Chow said.
“He also has prior experience in the country, having visited the mainland once while he was the superior general of the Augustinian Order.”
Chow also hailed the meeting as an opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding, saying he managed to share his views on the life of the church in Hong Kong and on the mainland.
“This helped him gain a fuller picture and a better understanding of the current state of China-Vatican relations,” he said.
Lawmaker Reverend Peter Koon Ho-ming, an Anglican cleric, said that the meeting and conversation had sent a positive signal that more exchanges between the mainland and the Vatican could be realised.
Chow’s multiple visits to mainland cities had helped the cardinal gain a better understanding of the country and enabled him to present this to the pope more appropriately, he said.
“With the positive message, I hope more exchanges will be forged and ultimately the resumption of formal diplomatic ties between China and the Vatican,” Koon said.
Since becoming bishop in 2021, Chow has visited the mainland at least three times, including trips to Beijing in 2023 and Guangdong province in April last year. He also visited Shanghai earlier this year.
Lau Siu-kai, from the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank, said he expected both sides to adopt a more pragmatic approach to interaction.
He added that warmer ties with the Vatican would also help the mainland improve its popularity among countries in Europe and Latin America.
“But a major roadblock is still the Taiwan issue,” he said.
The Vatican is one of only 12 governments that still maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while most others have switched recognition to Beijing, which regards the island as part of its territory.
In 2018, Pope Francis and Beijing reached a provisional agreement to regulate the appointment of bishops on the mainland through a joint procedure. The deal was renewed in 2020, 2022 and most recently in October last year.
The Holy See believes the agreement resolves a decades-long split between the underground church, which swears loyalty to the Vatican, and the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
The terms of the agreement have never been publicly disclosed. But according to some media reports, Beijing presents a candidate to the Vatican for the pope to consider and approve.
Some conservative Catholics have criticised the agreement, saying it gives Beijing too great an influence. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
