Why no pope has ever visited China

Three weeks before embarking on the longest and farthest trip in 11 years as the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis told an interviewer that the Chinese “have the virus of hope”. It was a video interview broadcast by the Jesuits’ Chinese Province on August 9. Conducted in Spanish, the 15-minute video also displayed subtitles in simplified Mandarin, Taiwanese Chinese and English.

In the interview, People said he “really wants” to go to China, and visit Shanghai’s Marian shrine, dedicated to the Virgin Mary as he revealed that he has a statue of Our Lady of Sheshan (the patron saint of China) on a shelf in his apartment at his Vatican residence.

This is not the first time that Pope Francis has spoken positively about China, which does not have a diplomatic relation with the Vatican, which recognises Taiwan as the Republic of China.

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No pope has ever visited China since the Vatican was established as a separate nation in 1929. Pope Paul VI came closest, when he visited Hong Kong in 1970 but back then it was under British rule.

The absence of a papal visit to China is emblematic of the complex and delicate relationship between the Holy See and the Chinese government.

A diplomatic conundrum

The Vatican, as the spiritual and administrative heart of the Roman Catholic Church, has historically aimed to manage Catholic affairs globally. This endeavour includes the appointment of bishops—a power that often clashes with the sovereignty of nation-states, particularly those with a strong separation between church and state.  

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In most secular nations, this conflict is managed through an understanding that the Pope can exercise ecclesiastical authority without interference in secular governance. However, in communist regimes like China, where religion is heavily regulated, the Vatican’s authority faces significant resistance, complicating any potential diplomatic relations.

China, ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is a nation where religion is seen not only as a spiritual practice but also as a potential threat to state control. The CCP has always exercised strict oversight over religious practices, ensuring that they align with the party’s principles and, more importantly, do not serve as vehicles for foreign influence.  

This approach has led to the Sinicization of religions, where religious doctrines are adapted to fit the Chinese cultural and political context, further complicating the Vatican’s relationship with China.  

However, under the leadership of Xi Jinping in China and Pope Francis in the Vatican, some positive forward movements have been observed.

The Vatican’s news strategy

As the recent statement of Pope Francis shows, the Vatican has not abandoned hope for improving relations with China. Even before Pope Francis, his predecessors made efforts to engage with China, with their approach looking less aimed at conversion and more at ensuring the unity of the Catholic Church, protecting its followers, and maintaining its spiritual authority.

In 2018, the Vatican and China signed a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops. This agreement, which has since been renewed, allows the Chinese government to propose candidates for bishoprics, with the Pope having the final say.  

While this deal was seen as a compromise, it also marked a rare moment of cooperation between the two powers, even though it has been met with criticism from both sides. The Vatican views this agreement as a pragmatic step towards securing the rights of Catholics in China, while the CPC sees it as a way to maintain control over religious practices.

Papal visit to China: A possibility?

The question of a papal visit to China remains open. Pope Francis, who has shown a willingness to engage with Beijing, has yet to make such a journey. His August 31-September 4, 2023, trip to Mongolia, which borders China, was seen as a significant gesture, indicating a desire to build closer ties.  

Pope Francis’s ongoing Asia-Pacific tour that includes a visit to Singapore — which has a majority of ethnic Chinese population — is also being viewed as an attempt to reach out to the Chinese people and the government.  

However, the physical demands of such a visit, coupled with the ongoing sensitive negotiations, make it uncertain whether Francis or his successor will set foot in China anytime soon.

The Vatican has a long history of negotiating with challenging regimes, as seen in its past dealings with Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, and the communist regimes of Eastern Europe. It also offered in the 1960s to mediate between the US and Soviet Russia to bring down the Cold War heat.  

The Vatican’s approach to China is no different—slow, deliberate, and focused on long-term goals rather than immediate gains. Clearly, the possibility of a papal visit depends on several factors and the current diplomatic strategy of the Vatican appears to be one of patience and persistence.

What stops Pope Francis from visiting China

The Vatican’s cautious diplomacy is not without a context. After the communist takeover of China in 1948-49 under Mao Zedong’s, the CPC regime adopted a repressive approach towards religion. The Mao regime was particularly harsh towards the church, considering it as a symbol of Western imperialism.  

China broke off its diplomatic ties with the Vatican  in 1951, expelling the apostollic nuncio (pope’s ambassador) and several bishops and priests to Hong Kong. Many Catholics were forced to go underground under Mao’s rule. They could emerge and practise Christianity only during the 1980s when religious practices were allowed again.

China and the Vatican have had sharp differences over who could appoint bishops in the country. The 2018 agreement offered a middle ground.

On mainland China, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CPCA) and the Bishops Conference of Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) operate under the close watch of the CCP, often leading to conflicts with the Vatican. The CPCA, in particular, has been criticised for its ambiguous role in the Church, as it exists primarily to safeguard the CCP’s interests rather than purely ecclesiastical concerns. This situation has created a schism between the official state-sanctioned church and the underground church, which remains loyal to the Pope.

On the Vatican’s side, there is also unease. Critics argue that by engaging with China, the Vatican is compromising its moral authority and risking the welfare of underground Catholics who continue to face persecution.  

Pope Francis, while seen as more open to dialogue with China than his predecessors, has been accused of making concessions that could weaken the Church’s position. His agreement with the Xi regime is viewed by some as a temporary fix rather than a permanent solution, with the issue of religious freedom in China remaining a significant concern.

What to expect next

Under the 2018 framework, the Vatican’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, characterised by pragmatism and patience, may eventually lead to a formal agreement that could pave the way for a papal visit. However, the deep-seated tensions between religious autonomy and state control in China suggest that any progress will likely be slow and fraught with challenges.

In the broader context of global diplomacy, the Vatican’s dealings with China also highlight the complexities of religious and political landscapes currently influencing geostrategy. For now, the West continues to watch as the Vatican balances its spiritual mission with the realities of engaging with Xi’s global ambitions for a rising China. Whether Pope Francis or his successor will visit China remains to be seen, but the ongoing dialogue suggests that both sides recognise the importance of finding common ground.  

While the 2018 agreement addressed papal concerns over appointment of bishops, there is another key indication on China’s concern over the pope’s engagement with Taiwan — the Vatican under Pope Francis has not considered filling up the vacancy at the nunciature or embassy in Taipei. There has been no nuncio — the highest ranking Vatican official in a country — appointed since 1971.

And that there is an ongoing intense speculation that the next pope will be from Asia. Will that person be from China?