The Vatican’s foreign minister has defended the Holy See’s deal with China on the appointment of bishops, saying “imperfections are evident” but the situation is “certainly an improvement” contrasted with prior to the deal.
Meeting with a small group of Vatican journalists this week, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher – the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States – delved into a wide range of topics relating to the Holy See’s international relations and diplomacy.
Among the most controversial decisions of the Holy See’s foreign policy is the arrangement with China concerning the appointment of bishops, as outlined in the Sino-Vatican deal first signed in 2018. It has remained highly confidential, one of the many elements which critics have repeatedly addressed, but is believed to allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to select its own bishops. The Pope apparently maintains a veto power, although in practice it is the CCP which regularly appears to have control.
