Cardinal Joseph Zen Zekiun believes the provisional Vatican- China agreement on appointing bishops will allow the Chinese government to eliminate the underground church with the help of the Vatican. Quoting from a Hungarian theologian, the Hong Kong emeritus bishop said the agreement seems not to violate canon law on issues related to pontifical power but gives discretionary power to Beijing on bishop appointments. “This is an atheistic government which wants to suppress the church more than ever,” he told reporters invited to a meeting at Salesian House in Hong Kong on Sept. 26.

“The Chinese government will succeed in eliminating the underground church with the help of the Vatican. Now that it is strengthening its suppression of religions, how could you think this will lead to a good agreement? Just like St John the Baptist negotiated with King Harold, how could this be a good out- come? To say that the agreement is a good thing is very superficial.”