Sinicization “is a trap,” a way to “intimidate the Catholic Church;” it has the purpose of “distorting the creed of all religious communities” in China. These are the thoughts of two Chinese Catholics, Peter of Hebei, and Paul of Shaanxi referring to the program wanted by Xi Jinping to assimilate religions to Chinese culture and society, a program that provides for submission to the Communist Party and verification of assimilation by the Patriotic Association (PA), the Party’s long arm over religious communities. The PA and the Council of Bishops have already prepared a five-year plan for the implementation of sinicization. By the end of August, every diocese in China will have to present its plan at a diocesan level.

There is no precise definition of the term “sinicization.” The interpretation depends exclusively on the Party. Hence, sinicization means only the absolute and total obedience to the Party’s wishes.

And since the Party is atheist, this campaign aims to distort the beliefs of all religious communities. These, in assimilating themselves to the will of the Party, will lose their values and become less credible, so the Party can eliminate all its rivals.

It is obvious that the Council of Chinese bishops and the Patriotic Association will have to follow the political line of the Party: this explains the five-year plan that was recently published.