China: Does New Law Say Something About the Secret Agreement?
Religious groups will be ordered to follow the Communist leadership, to implement the "values of socialism” and to disseminate the "principles and politics of the Communist Party" [in short, to do what the Vatican is practicing since Francis' election].
Without state approval and registration, a religious group will be considered illegal. They must also be governed from within China.
In September 2018, Francis signed a secret agreement with the Chinese Communists, forcing the underground Catholic Church to join a Communist State entity, called Patriotic Association.
Francis recognised the bishops of the Patriotic Association who were appointed by the Communists.
The forthcoming law must be in keeping with the previous agreement with the Vatican otherwise the agreement would either be contradicted or the Catholic Church would receive an unlikely special status among the religious communities in China.
Picture: Michael Woodhead, CC-BY-SA