Chinese Bishops Back Hard Line on Clergy Control

State control over the Catholic Church in China has reached a new and restrictive level.

According to IlTimone.it on February 13, the Chinese government now requires officially recognized clergy — bishops, priests, deacons, and religious — to surrender their passports to centralized authorities.

Under the new rules, clergy may not retain travel documents or independently travel abroad, including to Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.

Any foreign trip must receive prior state approval, and upon return, clergy must submit a detailed report of their activities within seven days.

The system mirrors controls imposed on Communist Party officials, effectively treating religious leaders as politically sensitive figures.

On February 4, the Chinese Bishops’ Conference publicly endorsed the new regulations, stating that religious practice must conform to the country’s “national interests.”

The policy is rooted in Article 40 of China’s Regulations on Religious Affairs, which limits collective religious activities to registered venues and state-approved clergy.

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