China Pressures Underground Catholics to Join Official Church

Human Rights Watch report details escalating crackdown on religious freedom

Apr. 16, 2026 at 1:38am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a Catholic church building in a Chinese city, with the facade bathed in warm, golden light and the surrounding area cast in deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation and the fragility of religious freedom.As the Chinese government tightens control over religious practice, a once-vibrant underground Catholic community faces an uncertain future.NYC Today

According to a new report from Human Rights Watch, Chinese authorities are increasing pressure on underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled official church, while also tightening surveillance and travel restrictions on all of China's estimated 12 million Catholics. The report says this is part of a decade-long campaign to ensure religious denominations and independent churches are loyal to the officially atheist Communist Party.

Why it matters

The report highlights the Chinese government's ongoing efforts to exert control over religious practice and limit the independence of religious institutions. This crackdown on underground Catholic churches is part of a broader 'Sinicization' campaign to align religious practice with Communist Party ideology. The report raises concerns about violations of religious freedom and the impact on China's Catholic community.

The details

According to the Human Rights Watch report, Chinese authorities have been pressuring underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association 'by arbitrarily detaining, forcibly disappearing ... and subjecting underground Catholic bishops and priests to house arrest.' The government has also intensified ideological control, surveillance, restrictions on religious activities, and foreign ties in official churches. New regulations adopted in December subject foreign travel by Catholic clergy to state approval.

  • In 2018, Pope Francis sought to ease Vatican-China tensions with a deal giving the state-controlled church a say in naming bishops.
  • In June 2023, Pope Leo XIV made his first appointment of a Chinese bishop under the 2018 agreement.
  • In October 2026, a prominent underground Christian pastor, Ezra Jin Mingri, was detained along with dozens of other church leaders across China.

The players

Human Rights Watch

An international non-governmental organization that investigates and reports on human rights abuses around the world.

Pope Leo XIV

The current Pope, who has continued the Vatican's dialogue with China regarding the 2018 agreement on bishop appointments.

Ezra Jin Mingri

A pastor of the prominent underground Zion Church, who was detained by Chinese authorities in October 2026 along with dozens of other church leaders.

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What they’re saying

“Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms.”

— Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch

“The Chinese Communist Party has escalated its systematic campaign to eradicate independent religious life.”

— Bob Fu, President of ChinaAid

What’s next

Pope Leo XIV has said he will continue the 2018 agreement with China 'in the short term,' but is in ongoing dialogue about the long-term future of the agreement.

The takeaway

This report highlights the Chinese government's continued crackdown on religious freedom, particularly targeting underground Catholic churches that refuse to join the state-controlled official church. It raises concerns about the impact on China's Catholic community and the broader implications for religious liberty in the country.