Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Thursday that Chinese authorities are increasing their pressure on “underground” Catholic communities to join the state-controlled church.
The recent intensification includes subjecting clergy to intense political or ideological training. Greater restrictions have also been imposed on religious activities on official church premises, including registration requirements for church services and the prohibition of religious education for children at home and of charitable activities tied to religion.
Further, authorities adopted “Provisional Regulations on the Standardized Management of Exit-and-Entry Travel Documents for the Catholic Clergy” in December 2025. All clergy members must surrender their passports to be held by the “Two Associations” of the state-controlled official church: the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Christian Council. Regardless of the reason for travel, clergy must submit a written application at least 30 days prior, detailing the purpose, itinerary, and a signed letter of commitment.
Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at HRW, calls for a review of these policies, stating:
A decade into Xi Jinping’s Sinicization campaign and nearly eight years since the 2018 Holy See-China agreement, Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms. Pope Leo XIV should urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshipers.
The 2018 agreement provides that Beijing proposes future bishops, and the Pope retains veto power, though it has never been exercised. This is part of President Xi Jinping’s drive for “Sinicization” of religion, which began in 2016. Sinicization requires all religious groups to align customs with Chinese culture and the state. It particularly affects what China deems “foreign” religions, including Catholicism, Islam, and Protestantism. The government pushes for alignment with Communist Party ideology and discourages separate religious practice.
Since 2018, ‘underground’ Catholic communities have been persistently pressured to join the Patriotic Association. People felt they had “no other choice but to join the official church” after their churches were demolished and its members arrested and threatened. At least 10 Catholic bishops, all Vatican-approved, are currently in indefinite detention for their defiance of the policies. HRW notes one priest who was released, but is now barred from having bank accounts, sim cards, or a passport. Protestants and Muslims have faced similar consequences.
HRW says this repression violates international human rights laws, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Convention on the Rights of the Child, and International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Uluyol urges the international community to enforce these standards, saying:
The Holy See and concerned governments should press Beijing to respect the religion freedom of all Catholics and other religions in China. The Chinese government should stop persecuting and intimidating worshipers for upholding their faith and spirituality independent of Communist Party control.
China has recently passed legislation placing similar limits on ethnic identity. Human rights groups have raised concerns, as this new policy will justify greater controls, repression, and forced assimilation to a shared culture. HRW contacted the Chinese government and the Holy See for comment on its findings, but neither has responded.
