Pope defends deal with China
Pope Francis has defended the Vatican deal with China’s communist government on the appointment of Catholic bishops, saying an uneasy dialogue is better than no dialogue at all.
In an interview with Spanish radio network COPE broadcast on Wednesday, Francis compared the Vatican’s dialogue with China to those with East European countries during the Cold War which eventually resulted in many freedoms for the Church there.
“China is not easy, but I am convinced that we should not give up dialogue,” he said in some of his most comprehensive comments to date on the issue.
Last September, the Vatican renewed a 2018 accord with Beijing that gives the pope final say over the appointment of Chinese bishops.