China has violated treaty on bishops, claims church
The Vatican has accused China of violating a deal to appoint bishops jointly, strengthening fears that Beijing has no intention of honouring the accord. The agreement, signed in 2018, aimed to halt years of tension between the Vatican, which named bishops to an unofficial, underground church in China, and Beijing, which ran a state-controlled church. Under the deal, all new bishops were to be appointed jointly, with pledges of allegiance to the Pope. The unique accord reflects how sensitive Beijing is about influence over its 12 million Catholics.