Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday that the extension of a formal agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China should aim to facilitate human rights and the immediate freedom of “forcibly disappeared Catholic bishops” in China. A Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic regarding the appointment of Bishops was  extended for four years from October 22, marking this as its third renewal.

HRW named several missing Catholic bishops. HRW associate China director, Maya Wang, commented: “The Vatican should make securing the release of its bishops a top priority in its relationship with the Chinese government.” She stressed the importance of ensuring and protecting religious freedoms in China. Wang says:

Now more than ever, Pope Francis should stand up for religious freedom in China. His leadership for religious freedom is sorely needed to counter the Chinese government’s increasing persecution of all religious believers in the country.

The Hudson Institute commented on the agreement and the missing bishops last week:

At least ten Chinese Catholic bishops, all Vatican-approved, are currently in indefinite detention, having disappeared or been forced out of their episcopal posts, or are under open-ended investigation by security police […] Baoding’s Bishop James Su Zhimin suffers the longest continuous secret detention: 27 years so far, after he led a large procession to a Marian shrine.

According to HRW, the Chinese government violated the agreement in 2022 and 2023 through its unilateral appointment of bishops, and has “pressured” its Catholic population to “worship in official churches under the leadership of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.” It has “persecuted Catholics” who refuse to attend these churches and instead attend “underground house churches.”

China embraces a policy of Sinicization under Xi Jinping, which seeks to ensure that religious activities are “in line with traditional Chinese culture.” China is officially atheist, and this Sinicization impacts “foreign” religions including Catholicism. There are official churches in China that are registered with “supervisory government agencies”.

HRW notes that this Sinicization has led to the demolition of “hundreds of church buildings or the crosses atop them.” It states that authorities have “prevented adherents from gathering in unofficial churches, restricted access to the Bible, confiscated religious materials unauthorized by the government, and banned Bible and religious apps.”

Similar attempts of Sinicization was committed by authorities against other communities as Chinese officials have faced repeated criticism in the past for the repression of the Uyghur Muslim community in Xinjiang and have even been accused of genocide, raising gave human rights concerns.