Pope Leo Appoints Third Bishop in China in Three Months Under Vatican-Beijing Framework

Pope Leo appointed Paolo Liu Honggang as the Bishop of Datong in September 2026, marking the third bishop appointed in China in three months under the Vatican-Beijing provisional agreement.

The appointments are part of an ongoing framework between the Holy See and the Chinese government that gives both parties a role in selecting Catholic bishops in China. The agreement, first signed in 2018 and renewed several times since, has been a source of ongoing debate within the global Catholic community.

Critics of the arrangement, particularly members of China's underground Catholic church, say the Vatican is sacrificing their communities by legitimizing government-approved appointments. Underground Catholics have historically refused to recognize bishops appointed with state involvement, viewing such appointments as a compromise of church independence.

Church officials in Rome have defended the agreement as a necessary step toward healing the long-standing division between the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association and the underground church loyal to Rome. Vatican representatives have argued that having bishops in communion with the Pope, even through a negotiated process, is better than leaving communities without recognized leadership.

The Diocese of Datong is located in Shanxi Province in northern China. Liu Honggang's appointment follows two other bishop appointments in China earlier in the summer of 2026.

The Vatican has not released a detailed statement on the Datong appointment beyond confirming it. Observers of China-Vatican relations say the pace of appointments suggests both sides are moving to fill vacant dioceses before any potential renegotiation of the agreement's terms.