Religious rights advocates are raising serious concerns regarding the increased level of control that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is presently exerting over the Roman Catholic church in China. As a result of a 2018 agreement between the Vatican and the Chinese government, state officials have already been given the authority to appoint bishops – ensuring that the church's leadership remains amenable towards the policies of the CCP.
However, since December of 2025, the Chinese Catholic church has now adopted a new policy that restricts the travel of all clergy. Under this directive, priests and bishops must surrender their passports and travel documents to a CCP-controlled religious bureau. Any clergy member who wishes to travel must submit a detailed itinerary and statement of purpose for the trip well in advance, followed by a mandatory "post-travel accountability report" upon return. These added procedures mirror those used for monitoring governing officials in politically sensitive positions. Reports indicate that a similar system is also under consideration for the state-controlled Protestant church.
According to ChinaAid, these measures go beyond the ongoing "Sinicization" of the Chinese church. The religious rights organization warns that the implementation of the new policy will result in a "systematic severing of China's churches from the global religious community." More details concerning the persecution of Chinese Christians, including recorded video reports, are available at our country profile.
- Please prayerfully uphold Chinese believers who are encountering ever-growing restrictions and pressures on their faith practices, asking the Lord to spiritually strengthen and encourage them.
- Pray that there will be meaningful and lasting changes made to governing policies that are currently suppressing and tightly regulating religious activities throughout China.
- In the meantime, despite the government-imposed barriers presently facing church congregations, may God provide committed believers creative and innovative ways to proclaim the Good News of His salvation so many others will likewise experience His sacrificial love and eternal hope.
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