Episode
The Vatican in Transition: China, Religion, and the Legacy of Pope Francis
- Podcast
- The US-China Podcast
- Published
- Dec 15, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1973
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Summary
The death of Pope Francis came at a delicate moment in the Vatican's relationship with China. Since 2018, the Holy See has pursued a cautious and often controversial diplomatic engagement with Beijing to maintain the Church's relevance in China while navigating the Chinese Communist Party's strict control over religion. This approach has unfolded against a backdrop of repression of underground clergy and growing pressure from Beijing for the Vatican to sever ties with Taiwan . For observers, this period offers insight into how a global religious institution operates within a system in which space for religion and civil society is tightly constrained. With the new pope's first hundred days behind him, long-standing questions about religious freedom , geopolitical recognition, and the boundaries of engagement remain central, and may take on new dimensions under his leadership. In a conversation recorded on August 17, Ian Johnson, Francesco Sisci , and Karrie Koessel discuss the key issues currently shaping China–Vatican relations and how they may evolve under the new pope. About this program