Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: CHN32301 Country: China Date: 19 September 2007

Keywords: China – – Papal letter to China – Underground Churches

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

Questions 1. Please provide information on the ’s recent declaration about uniting the underground and official Catholic Church. 2. Please provide recent information about the underground Catholic Church.

RESPONSE

1. Information on the Pope’s recent declaration about uniting the underground and official Catholic Church.

On 27 May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a letter addressed to Catholics in China (Pope Benedict XVI 2007, ‘Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China’, 27 May http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2007/documents/hf_ben- xvi_let_20070527_china_en.html – Accessed 14 September 2007 – Attachment 1). The letter was not made publicly available until 30 June 2007, but was given earlier to the Chinese government. The letter is addressed to all Catholics in China in both the underground and official Catholic Church and expresses the Pope’s care for all Catholics (Sec.2ff). The letter calls for resolution of the differences between the Vatican and the Chinese government, but does not announce an official unification of the underground and official Catholic Church, as this is a matter which will require an agreement with the Chinese authorities on outstanding matters of disagreement, such as the selection of bishops. The Pope does however call for all members of both churches to reconcile with, accept and pardon each other to overcome division (Sec.6).

In Section 4, the Pope expresses his willingness to engage in a dialogue with the Chinese government to reach an agreement on the need for Catholics in China to be in communion with the Pope. He nevertheless calls on the Chinese authorities to stop interfering with the affairs of the Church:

compliance with those authorities is not acceptable when they interfere unduly in matters regarding the faith and discipline of the Church. The civil authorities are well aware that the Church in her teaching invites the faithful to be good citizens, respectful and active contributors to the common good in their country, but it is likewise clear that she asks the State to guarantee to those same Catholic citizens the full exercise of their faith, with respect for authentic religious freedom. (Sec.4, p.4)

The Pope calls on all Catholics in China to reconcile with each other in Section 6.

In sections 5-8, the Pope also addresses the problem of the ordination of bishops in China noting:

It is therefore indispensable, for the unity of the Church in individual nations, that every Bishop should be in communion with the other Bishops, and that all should be in visible and concrete communion with the Pope. (Sec.5, p.5)

The Pope does note the difficult position of bishops and priests within the official church who face the problem of obeying both the government and the Pope, and makes allowances for their actions under these difficult circumstances:

In not a few particular instances, however, indeed almost always, in the process of recognition the intervention of certain bodies obliges the people involved to adopt attitudes, make gestures and undertake commitments that are contrary to the dictates of their conscience as Catholics. I understand, therefore, how in such varied conditions and circumstances it is difficult to determine the correct choice to be made. For this reason the , after restating the principles, leaves the decision to the individual Bishop who, having consulted his presbyterate, is better able to know the local situation, to weigh the concrete possibilities of choice and to evaluate the possible consequences within the diocesan community. It could be that the final decision does not obtain the consensus of all the priests and faithful. I express the hope, however, that it will be accepted, albeit with suffering, and that the unity of the diocesan community with its own Pastor will be maintained. (Sec.7, p.8)

The Pope notes that some Bishops have been clandestinely, but legitimately, ordained by the Vatican; others have been ordained without the pontifical mandate, but later sought and been granted legitimation from the Vatican, and yet others have been ordained without the pontifical mandate, but have not sought or been granted legitimation from the Vatican. The first group are those who operate within the unofficial church, the second group operate within the official church, but often without their legitimation being made known to their congregations, and the third group operate within the official church, illegitimately in the eyes of the Vatican, but “validly” as long as they were ordained by validly ordained bishops. This third group is very small. (Sec.8, pp.10-11, also Sec.10, p.13)

A Catholic commentator, Raphaela Schmid, director of the Becket Institute for Religious Liberty, gave a commentary on the letter (‘The Pope, China and Church Unity: Interview With Religious Freedom Expert’ 2007, Zenit News, 3 July http://www.cathcom.com/featured/headline.php?ID=4573 – Accessed 14 September 2007 – Attachment 2). Schmid believes the letter is a challenge to the Communist government and the official Catholic Church to come to an agreement with the Vatican. She also notes that: • The most significant thing about this letter is that it exists at all -- that there is a letter to Chinese Catholics from the Pope. And it will serve as a test case for the much- trumpeted new openness toward of the official Church.

• 90% of the illegitimately ordained bishops in China have subsequently reconciled with Rome.

• Bishops appointed by, or reconciled with, Rome are still fully valid and legitimate. Bishops appointed without papal mandate and not reconciled with Rome are still illegitimate: They administer the sacraments validly, but not legitimately. As has always been the case, Catholics may receive sacraments from them where they have no other option, just as they can from valid yet illegitimate Greek Orthodox clergy.

• At the same time, the Pope is tough on the specific institutions such as the bishops’ conference of the open Church which “cannot be recognized by the Holy See” because of its exclusion of underground bishops and inclusion of bishops not recognized by the Holy See, as well as the Catholic Patriotic Association whose statutes are “incompatible with Church doctrine.”

Other views from China on the Pope’s letter are attached:

• ‘Pope: there is just one Church in China; may it be united and free’ 2007, AsiaNews, 30 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9695 – Accessed 17 September 2007 – Attachment 3. This reports on the publication of the letter and notes the Pope’s call for unity in the Church while criticising the Chinese government’s interference and divisive influence.

• ‘The United Front gathers official bishops to instruct them on the Pope’s Letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 28 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9676 – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 4. This notes that the official church met to consider their reaction to the letter. The report expresses the fear that the government will react by further suppressing the underground church.

• Lin, Deshi 2007, ‘Too much atheism and interference from the state, says Mgr Jia Zhiguo’, AsiaNews, 1 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9699 – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 5. The underground Bishop Jia of Zhengding, freed eight days ago after 17 days in a jail, is both hopeful and pessimistic about what the Pope’s letter to Chinese Catholics might do. Bishop Jia says:

this letter will be the right push towards unity. The real problem is how to overcome the pressures that come from the state. Various official bishops are afraid to actively communicate with underground bishops. Courage is often found wanting because they too are under strict control. Their phones are always tapped by the government for example. Even if they are government-approved, there is not much they can do— they can’t do what they want.

But for us underground bishops, who are not recognised by the government, communications are a problem. It is almost impossible to do it directly. I live under constant controls. But for them controls are event greater.

• ‘Subdued but predictable reactions in China to Pope’s letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 2 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9709 – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 6. This report notes that the government’s reaction to the letter had been low- key, which some saw as a good sign. The report also notes that the letter had led to “rejoicing among believers in both the official and underground Church”. The official church had not commented: “So far official bishops have not made any public comments about the letter, fearful perhaps of what the Pope’s categorical refusal to accept CPCA’s control of the Church might do”.

• ‘Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, who wanted to disseminate the Pope’s letter, is arrested’ 2007, AsiaNews, 23 August http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10124&theme=2&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 7. “Chinese authorities … arrested Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, underground bishop of Zhengding (Hebei), to prevent him from disseminating Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Chinese Catholics and organising meetings in which the letter’s contents would be explained to the faithful.”

• Wu, Emily 2007, ‘Pope letter ‘lifts underground church morale’’, The Standard, 6 July – Attachment 17.

Though no official response to the Pope’s letter was found, a Hong Kong newspaper published a response to the letter from an unnamed “authoritative personage” in which condemns the letter as an obstacle to the talks between China and the Vatican (‘“Authoritative” Chinese source says Pope’s letter adds obstacles to dialogue’ 2007, BBC Monitoring, Source: Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po, 7 July – Attachment 18).

2. Recent information about the underground Catholic Church.

Reports indicate that, despite reconciling with the official church in some areas, priests from the underground Catholic Church are still being arrested in China, both before and since the publication of the Pope’s letter to Chinese Catholics. Here are some 2007 reports from the Catholic AsiaNews service and other sources.

9 Sep Catholics were suspicious after Msgr. Han Dingxian, underground bishop of Yongnian, died and was quickly cremated by the government to prevent him being honoured with a public funeral by the underground Catholic Church. (‘Catholic’s doubts on the death of Msgr. Han Dingxian, underground bishop of Yongnian, 2007, AsiaNews, 12 September http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10277&theme=1&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 8). Msgr. Han had been imprisoned many times for a total of 35 years.

8 Sep For the first time ever bishops and faithful from the underground and official Church were to celebrate together the ordination of a bishop approved by the Pope: “The ordination has been approved by the Holy See and it is the first to take place following the publication of Benedict XVI’s Letter to the Chinese Catholics. Bishops and priests from the underground and official Church will take part together in the ceremony”. (‘Guiyang, first Episcopal ordination after Pope’s Letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 7 September http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10240&theme=1&size=A# – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 9) An official Chinese news source also reported this as a landmark event (‘Vatican approves new Chinese bishop’ 2007, China Economic Review, 13 September – Attachment 19) 24 Aug An underground priest, Father Jiang Sunian, was released after serving an 11 month sentence for visiting the Pope. This report also notes other underground priests who have served sentences (‘Fr. Jiang Sunian, an underground priest from Wenzhou is released’ 2007, AsiaNews, 30 August http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10170&geo=6&theme=8&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 10)

23 Aug Chinese authorities arrested Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, underground bishop of Zhengding (Hebei), to prevent him from disseminating Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Chinese Catholics and organising meetings in which the letter’s contents would be explained to the faithful. (‘Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, who wanted to disseminate the Pope’s letter, is arrested’ 2007, AsiaNews, 23 August http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10124&theme=2&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 7).

30 Jul China detained three underground Catholic priests who fled from Hebei province (‘China arrests three renegade priests’ 2007, , 30 July – Attachment 20)

5 Jun Underground bishop, Msgr. Jia Zhiguo, is arrested for the ninth time since 2004 (‘New arrest for Msgr. Jia Zhiguo, underground bishop of Zhengding’ 2007, AsiaNews, 7 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9479&geo=6&theme=8&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 11)

10 Apr A report on the sentencing of two priests, also notes that many underground communities still suffer raids (Cervellera, Bernardo 2007, ‘Thousands are baptised in Beijing, while in Zhejiang two priests are imprisoned’, AsiaNews, 10 April http://www.asianews.it/index.php?art=8953&l=en – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 12). This states:

This freedom however remains within the boundaries of government concessions. Those seeking religious freedom who fail to adhere to the control of the Patriotic Association face arrest and prison. In many underground communities the faithful were unable to participate in celebrations because police had been given orders to arrest priests. In Wenzhou (Zhejiang), on Holy Thursday the police raided the designated place where the in Cena Domini mass was to have been held. The priests succeeded in escaping arrest, minutes beforehand.

Two diocesan priests, Fr. Shao Zhoumin and Fr. Jiang Sunian, who had falsified their documents in order to make a pilgrimage to Rome, where condemned to 9 and 11 months in prison. In Hebei, where the underground bishop James Su Zhimin has been “missing” for the last 10 years, the police keep strict checks that there are no underground gatherings of the faithful. All of them were forced to move elsewhere, where the situation is calmer, in order to celebrate Easter.

According to AsiaNews data, at least 17 underground bishops have disappeared, been arrested or detained in isolation; 20 priests are currently under arrest. The last arrest took place on December 27th in Hebei. Of the 9 priests imprisoned in that raid, 4 were freed the other 5 are still under lock and key. The entire community, underground and official Catholics, have noted a crackdown in the Patriotic Association’s politics of control. The new hard line is due to the fact that the majority of PA officials are now predominantly atheists, some among the most radical elements of the Party, whose aim it is to destroy religious communities, failing that to a least have strict control over their activities

The new US Department of State International Religious Freedom Report on China is also attached (US Department of State 2007, International Religious Freedom Report 2007 – China, 14 September – http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90133.htm – Attachment 13). The report gives the following portrait of Catholics in China:

There are 5.3 million persons registered with the official Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA), and it is estimated that there are an equal or greater number who worship in unregistered Catholic churches affiliated with the Vatican. According to official sources, the government-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association has more than 70 bishops, almost 3,000 priests and nuns, 6,000 churches and meeting places, and 12 seminaries. There are thought to be approximately 40 bishops operating “underground,” some of whom are in prison or under house arrest. A Vatican representative estimated that there are 8 to 18 million Catholics in the country. (p.3)

The Government does not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See and generally does not allow the CPA and its clergy to recognize the authority of the pope to make clerical appointments. This remained a significant reason for the persistence of a large unregistered Catholic church that remains unaffiliated with the Government and CPA. Pressure by the CPA on unregistered Catholic bishops to join the official Church continued, and some unregistered priests and bishops were detained. Despite some efforts toward rapprochement between the Government and the Vatican, the Vatican’s diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and differences over selection of bishops remained the primary obstacles to improved relations. In January 2007 the Vatican issued an invitation to the Government to enter a dialogue on restoring diplomatic relations and announced that it would set up a permanent commission to handle relations with China. In June 2007 Pope Benedict issued an open letter to Chinese Catholics inviting them to resolve differences and calling on China to engage in “respectful and constructive dialogue” with the Vatican to normalize relations. An MFA spokesperson said that China advocates improvement in Sino-Vatican relations. A leader of the CPA said he hoped the Pope’s letter would be of help in establishing China-Vatican ties.

In official Catholic churches, clerics lead prayers for the pope and pictures of the pope are displayed. An estimated 90 percent of official Catholic bishops have reconciled with the Vatican.

In January 2007 the Vatican approved the ordination of a mainland-selected Catholic priest to become bishop of Guangzhou Diocese, the first such backing given by the Holy See after bilateral ties were strained with the appointments in April and May 2006 of Bishops Ma Yingling of Kunming, Yunnan Province, and Liu Xinhong of Wuhu, Anhui Province, without Vatican approval. The Vatican criticized these ordinations as illicit. The CPA and SARA responded that the bishops had been democratically elected by priests of their dioceses, the Vatican was interfering in the country’s internal affairs, and the appointments were required to fill vacancies. The disagreement over the appointments of Bishops Ma and Liu disrupted a period during which several bishops were appointed with both Government and Vatican approval. Many priests and bishops publicly acknowledged that the Vatican had approved their appointment. They suffered no punishment for this public stance, although the Government denied that the Vatican played any role in approving the country’s clergy.

In fact, the large majority of bishops recognized by the Patriotic Association have been recognized by the Vatican either before or after their appointment by the Government. In a few cases, the bishop named by the state-sanctioned church conflicted directly with a bishop recognized by the Vatican, a situation that contributed significantly to tension between the Patriotic Association and the unregistered Catholic Church and to tension between the Vatican and the Government. The CPA said that 40 of China’s nearly 100 dioceses have no bishop in place.

The report also mentions incidents of repression of the underground Church in the past year:

Some “underground” Catholic bishops also faced repression, in large part due to their avowed loyalty to the Vatican, which the Government accused of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. (p.2)

Police sometimes closed unregistered places of worship, including Catholic churches and Protestant house churches with significant memberships, properties, financial resources, and networks. (p.5)

In some locations local authorities reportedly forced unregistered Catholic priests and believers to renounce ordinations approved by the Holy See, join the official church, or face a variety of punishments including fines, job loss, detentions, and having their children barred from school. Some Catholic officials were forced into hiding. Ongoing harassment of unregistered bishops and priests was reported in recent years, including government surveillance and repeated short detentions.

Numerous detentions of unofficial Catholic clergy were reported, in particular in Hebei Province, traditionally home to many unregistered Catholics.

There was no new information about unregistered Bishop Su Zhimin, who has been unaccounted for since his reported detention in 1997. The Government had not responded to requests to clarify his status by the end of the reporting period.

There was no information about the whereabouts of Bishop Zhao Zhendong, the bishop of Xuanhua, Hebei, who was arrested in December 2004.

There was no information about the whereabouts of Bishop Shi Enxiang, who was arrested in April 2001.

In June 2007 police arrested 73-year-old Bishop Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding, Hubei, for the tenth time since 2004. Security officials held him at an unknown location until his release on June 22, 2007.

In March 2007 police in Shaanxi province detained Bishop Wu Qinjing, the bishop of Zhouzhi. His whereabouts were unknown. According to a government document released on March 9, 2007, Bishop “Wu Qinjing should not run any church affairs as a bishop and should not interfere with the Zhouzhi diocese management.” The document told Catholics to “draw a line of demarcation” around the bishop and stated that the Government had been reeducating Bishop Wu since May 2006.

In December 2006 security officials arrested nine unregistered priests near Baoding, Hebei.

In September 2006 authorities detained Bishop Wu Qinjing, who was ordained in October 2005 with the approval of the Holy See but without government permission, for 5 days. He was forced to sign a document stating that his ordination was illegal.

In September 2006 unregistered priests Shao Zhoumin and Jiang Sunian were detained in Shenzhen upon their return from Europe. Shao and Jiang reportedly falsified documents to facilitate travel to Rome and were sentenced to 9-and 11-month prison sentences. In prison Father Shao reportedly lost his hearing. Both priests were denied visitors in prison.

In August 2006 Hebei authorities released Bishop An Shuxin, Bishop Su’s auxiliary bishop, but reportedly arrested Father Li Huisheng and approximately 90 Catholic worshippers.

In Hebei, the region with the highest number of Catholics, the Government reportedly pressured an unofficial church to join the CPA. In August 2006 police in Xiwanzi arrested and tortured Father Li Huisheng and then released him. Ninety members of Father Li’s church protested his arrest outside police headquarters. Police beat the protestors and forced them to disperse. Later that evening, approximately 500 police launched a raid to rearrest Father Li and the church members. The whereabouts of 20 persons were unknown. Father Li was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment for “inciting the masses against the Government.” Another priest from Xiwanzi, Father Wang Zhong, disappeared. In July 2006 Xiwanzi authorities also arrested and detained 82-year-old Bishop Yao Liang. Xiwanzi authorities also forbade Catholics from making an annual traditional pilgrimage to Mount Muozi in Inner Mongolia. (pp.10-11)

In some parts of the country, there was a tense relationship between registered and unregistered Christian churches … In other areas the two groups coexisted without problems. In some provinces, including Hebei, unregistered and official Catholic communities sometimes had a tense relationship. (p.130)

In 2006, Human Rights Watch stated, in relation to Catholics in China:

During 2005, the Vatican and Beijing engaged in informal dialogue aimed at rapprochement, as evidenced in part by persistent reports that both sides approved the appointment of two new bishops, one in Shanghai and the other in Xi’an. At the same time, so-called underground Catholic priests and bishops, loyal only to the Vatican, came under increasing pressure. Officials, particularly in Hebei province, the center of underground Catholic activity, subjected influential priests and bishops to “reeducation” sessions aimed at forcing them to join the Catholic Patriotic Association and align themselves with the official Chinese Catholic Church. Although there are few available details about the process, the targeted clergy were detained at undisclosed locations for the duration of their sessions. It is notable that when meetings of Catholic congregants remained small, discreet, and apolitical, officials often turned a blind eye. Reported detentions followed the celebration of masses that attracted large numbers, for public celebration of important Catholic feast days and during pastoral retreats. One longstanding issue, that of rights to former Catholic Church properties, flared anew in 2005. According to Article 30 of the 2005 regulations, “land legally used by a religious body or a site...” and the “structures and facilities legally owned by such a body or site... are protected by law. It may not be encroach[ed] upon, loot[ed]... [and] confiscate[ed]...” However, a church in Xi’an was forced to buy back its original properties, nationalized in 1982, but sold to a developer in 2003. The case made headlines after unknown assailants in Xi’an severely beat and injured nuns attempting to protect the properties from demolition. (Human Rights Watch 2006, China: A Year After New Regulations, Religious Rights Still Restricted Arrests, Closures, Crackdowns Continue, 1 March – Attachment 14).

The following reports on Catholics in China are also attached:

• Hornemann, Magda 2007, ‘China: China’s Catholics, the Holy See and religious freedom’, Forum 18 News Service, 12 April http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=942 – Accessed 18 September 2007 – Attachment 15.

• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100386.E – China: Situation of Catholics and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001-2005), 1 September – Attachment 16

The Cardinal Kung Foundation chronologically document arrests of underground Catholics on their Press reports page at http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/press/index.htm.

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:

Government Information & Reports Immigration & Refugee Board of Canada http://www.irb.gc.ca/ UK Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk US Department of State http://www.state.gov/ US Department of State website http://www.state.gov United States Commission On International Religious Freedom – China page http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/region/east_asia/china/china.html United Nations (UN) UNHCR http://www.unhchr.ch/ Non-Government Organisations Amnesty International website http://www.amnesty.org/ Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1 Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/ International News & Politics BBC News website http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Region Specific Links Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) http://www.aidtochurch.org/ AsiaNews.It http://www.asianews.it/ about the Church in China Cardinal Kung Foundation http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/ CatholicCitizens.Org http://www.catholiccitizens.org/search/default.asp?query=china This has some reports on China, but there is no China page. Christian Solidarity Worldwide http://www.csw.org.uk/ Forum 18 http://www.forum18.org/Analyses.php?region=3 Holy Spirit Study Centre, Hong Kong http://www.hsstudyc.org.hk/ Zenit http://www.zenit.org/english/ –

Search Engines Google search engine http://www.google.com.au/

Databases: FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIMA Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Country Research database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. Pope Benedict XVI 2007, ‘Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China’, 27 May http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2007/documents/hf_ben- xvi_let_20070527_china_en.html – Accessed 14 September 2007

2. ‘The Pope, China and Church Unity: Interview With Religious Freedom Expert’ 2007, Zenit News, 3 July http://www.cathcom.com/featured/headline.php?ID=4573 – Accessed 14 September 2007.

3. ‘Pope: there is just one Church in China; may it be united and free’ 2007, AsiaNews, 30 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9695 – Accessed 17 September 2007

4. ‘The United Front gathers official bishops to instruct them on the Pope’s Letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 28 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9676 – Accessed 18 September 2007

5. Lin, Deshi 2007, ‘Too much atheism and interference from the state, says Mgr Jia Zhiguo’, AsiaNews, 1 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9699 – Accessed 18 September 2007

6. ‘Subdued but predictable reactions in China to Pope’s letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 2 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9709 – Accessed 18 September 2007

7. ‘Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo, who wanted to disseminate the Pope’s letter, is arrested’ 2007, AsiaNews, 23 August http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10124&theme=2&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007

8. ‘Catholic’s doubts on the death of Msgr. Han Dingxian, underground bishop of Yongnian, 2007, AsiaNews, 12 September http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10277&theme=1&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007

9. ‘Guiyang, first Episcopal ordination after Pope’s Letter’ 2007, AsiaNews, 7 September http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10240&theme=1&size=A# – Accessed 18 September 2007

10. ‘Fr. Jiang Sunian, an underground priest from Wenzhou is released’ 2007, AsiaNews, 30 August http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10170&geo=6&theme=8&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007

11. ‘New arrest for Msgr. Jia Zhiguo, underground bishop of Zhengding’ 2007, AsiaNews, 7 June http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9479&geo=6&theme=8&size=A – Accessed 18 September 2007 12. Cervellera, Bernardo 2007, ‘Thousands are baptised in Beijing, while in Zhejiang two priests are imprisoned’, AsiaNews, 10 April http://www.asianews.it/index.php?art=8953&l=en – Accessed 18 September 2007

13. US Department of State 2007, International Religious Freedom Report 2007 – China, 14 September – http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90133.htm – Accessed 18 September 2007.

14. Human Rights Watch 2006, China: A Year After New Regulations, Religious Rights Still Restricted Arrests, Closures, Crackdowns Continue, 1 March.

15. Hornemann, Magda 2007, ‘China: China’s Catholics, the Holy See and religious freedom’, Forum 18 News Service, 12 April http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=942 – Accessed 18 September 2007

16. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, CHN100386.E – China: Situation of Catholics and treatment by authorities, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong (2001- 2005), 1 September (http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/rir/index_e.htm?action=record.viewrec&gotorec=449524). (CISNET – REFINFO)

17. Wu, Emily 2007, ‘Pope letter ‘lifts underground church morale’’, The Standard, 6 July (Factiva)

18. ‘“Authoritative” Chinese source says Pope’s letter adds obstacles to dialogue’ 2007, BBC Monitoring, Source: Hong Kong newspaper Wen Wei Po, 7 July (Factiva)

19. ‘Vatican approves new Chinese bishop’ 2007, China Economic Review, 13 September (Factiva)

20. ‘China arrests three renegade priests’ 2007, Reuters, 30 July (Factiva)