Pope Appoints Bishop In Henan, China Ready To Cooperate With Vatican

JAKARTA - The Chinese government has stated that it is ready to cooperate with the Holy See of the Vatican led by Pope Leo XIV, including in the appointment of bishops in China, one of which is in Xinxiang City, Henan Province.

"China is ready to cooperate with the Vatican to continue to improve relations between the two parties," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference in Beijing, Monday, December 8.

The Vatican's Holy See on Friday (5/12) officially said Pope Leo XIV appointed Francis Li Jianlin as the Bishop of Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang, Henan Province, China, since August 11, 2025.

The nomination was also approved in the 'Temporary Agreement between the Vatican Holy See and the People's Republic of China.' In addition, the resignation of Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu has also been approved.

Zhang Weizhu is known to be a member of the Chinese Catholic Church underground which the Chinese government does not recognize.

The admission of the resignation of Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu was called by the Director of the Vatican Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, on Saturday (6/12), as a result of a dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese government as well as an important step in the course of the church.

"Over the past few years, China and the Vatican have maintained communication and increased mutual understanding and trust through constructive dialogue," added Guo Jiakun.

Bishop Francis Li Jianlin was born on July 9, 1974 in Huixian City, Henan Province, from a Catholic family.

From September 1990 to June 1999, he attended the guidance of the imam in the Zhengding seminary and then at the Yixian seminary, Hebei Province.

On July 23, 1999, Li Jianlin received a priest's tahbisan from Bishop Nicola Shi Jingxian from Shangqiu for Xinxiang Apostolic Prefecture.

He later served as Father of the Qinyang Parish (1999-2000), established a jurisdictional seminary since 2000, and has since 2011 served as Pastor Parish in Jiaozuo.

China and the Vatican's Holy See cut diplomatic relations in 1951. The Vatican is also the only European country to have official relations with Taiwan.

However, under Pope Francis, China and the Vatican signed an agreement in 2018, extending 2024, allowing about 12 million Catholics in China to choose bishops, then seeking Vatican approval.

This agreement aims to bring Catholics closer to the official church supported by the state with loyal people to the Vatican and the Pope as the supreme leader of the church.