China Wants The Vatican To Be Flexible Over Church Matters In China

The Chinese Government has said the Vatican should be flexible with its church dealings in the country.

The Chinese want to have the ability to appointment of bishops with in the country. The Chinese also refuse to accept the authority of the Pope over the church because he is the head of a foreign state. Beijing believes that the Catholic Church in China should handle its own issues independently and be free from foreign control.

The appointment of Bishops is considered to be a domestic matter and as such the Pope has no right to ‘meddle in domestic affairs’.

Head of the State Administration for Religious Affairs Wang Zuoan has said to Xinhua that China “hopes the Vatican takes an even more flexible and pragmatic attitude, and takes actual steps to create beneficial conditions for improving relations”

“The Chinese government’s position on improving Sino-Vatican ties has always been clear and consistent,” Wang said. “Sticking to the principle of independence, autonomy and self-direction would fit into the national interest as well as the reality of the Catholic Church in China,”