Pope Leo XIV Appoints First Chinese Bishop, Signals Continuation of Controversial Vatican-China Deal

By Uyghur Times Staff | June 12, 2025

Uyghur Times Exclusive: Pope Leo XIV’s First Chinese Bishop Appointment Signals Continuity in Controversial Vatican-China Deal

VATICAN CITY — In a significant development for Catholic communities in China, Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff (elected in May 2025 as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost), has made his inaugural bishop appointment in mainland China under the secretive 2018 Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and Beijing.

On June 5, 2025, Pope Leo XIV named Joseph Lin Yuntuan (born March 12, 1952) as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Fuzhou in Fujian Province. The appointment was swiftly recognized by Chinese authorities, with Bishop Lin’s installation ceremony taking place on June 11, 2025. The Vatican described this as a “fruit of dialogue” and a positive step toward greater unity in the Fuzhou diocese.

Bishop Lin, ordained a priest in 1984 after seminary studies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has served in the Fuzhou Archdiocese for decades. Sources indicate he was previously associated with the underground Catholic community loyal to Rome, adding symbolic weight to the move as an effort to bridge the long-standing divide between China’s state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association and the clandestine “underground” Church that has endured persecution for refusing state control.

The 2018 agreement — renewed most recently in October 2024 for a four-year term — allows Chinese authorities input into bishop nominations while preserving the Pope’s final authority, including veto power. However, the deal’s full text remains confidential, fueling ongoing criticism. Detractors, including human rights advocates and conservative Catholic voices, argue it compromises religious freedom by effectively legitimizing Beijing’s oversight of the Church, potentially sidelining faithful underground Catholics who have faced imprisonment, forced disappearances, and suppression for decades.

This appointment comes amid a broader pattern under Pope Leo XIV. Since succeeding Pope Francis (who died in April 2025), Leo has overseen several China-related developments, including approvals for other bishops (such as auxiliary appointments in Shanghai in August 2025) and restructurings of dioceses. These steps suggest continuity with Francis-era engagement policy, despite prior tensions.

Just before the 2025 papal conclave, Beijing had unilaterally advanced bishop candidates without Vatican consent — actions that tested the agreement’s viability. Pope Leo XIV’s decision to proceed with the Fuzhou appointment indicates a commitment to dialogue, even as critics call for greater pressure on China to release detained bishops and end restrictions on underground communities.

While the Vatican pursues unity and reconciliation in its Chinese flock, the agreement continues to raise concerns about whether true religious autonomy can coexist with Beijing’s demands for “Sinicization” of Catholicism — a policy requiring the Church to align with socialist principles and national loyalty.

The appointment of Bishop Lin may represent incremental progress in filling vacant sees, but it also underscores persistent challenges for Catholics in China, where state oversight often conflicts with full communion with Rome. Uyghur Times will continue monitoring developments in religious freedom across China.