New Xiamen Bishop Cai Bingrui was ordained at the weekend with the approval of both the Holy See and the Chinese government and more ordinations are expected, reports say. Bishop Cai Bingrui is the third bishop to be installed in as many weeks with the approval of both China’s government-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association and the Vatican, the Financial Times reports.
According to people close to delicate diplomatic talks between China and the Vatican, which have not recognised each other since 1951, as many as 20 mutually agreed bishops could be ordained over coming months.
“There has been some improvement in relations and there is now more mutual trust,” said one person familiar with the negotiations.
The Vatican still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than China and the re-establishment of relations with the Church would represent a major diplomatic coup for Beijing, the Financial Times says.
The new bishops, in their late 30s or early 40s, are replacing elderly predecessors in their 80s or even 90s - a generation gap stemming from decades of religious repression under Mao Zedong.
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