The Vatican has relocated its representatives from Taiwan and Hong Kong, which has triggered speculations that the Roman Catholic Church aims to alter its approach towards China.
On 31 January, the Holy See announced that Monsignor Arnaldo Catalan would leave Taiwan to take a new position in Rwanda. Five days later, it was announced that Monsignor Javier Herrera Corona of Hong Kong would be would be appointed to the Republic of the Congo and Gabon.
Monsignor Corona noted in his interview with the Union of Catholic Asian News that the reshuffle does not “have anything to do with Vatican activities in China” and that the Vatican regards establishing an official mission in China as “the last of the least objectives”.
“These are regular transfers. The mission in Hong Kong is not closed. Taiwan is also not folding," Corona told UCA News last week, adding that replacements could be "expected within three months”.
In 2018, the Vatican and Beijing decided to work together to agree on the appointment of Chinese bishops, which helped to remove one of the most important problems between the two states – a division between the “underground church” with bishops appointed in the Vatican, and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (PCA), controlled by local authorities.
Since then, Beijing has officially recognised three bishops loyal to the Holy See. In total, six new bishops have been appointed to the PCA during this time.