As world leaders send their condolences to Catholics and the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis, one has been noticeably silent: China's President Xi Jinping.
While Beijing has long resisted formal ties with the Holy See, the Chinese government had also not issued a tribute — until Tuesday evening.
"We express our condolences on the passing of Pope Francis," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference.
"In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive contact and engaged in positive exchanges.
"China is willing to work with the Vatican to continue improving bilateral relations."
Asked whether China would send an official representative to the pope's funeral, the spokesperson said she had no information to provide.
During this papacy, Francis often said he was ready to visit China, calling the country a place he admired.
But that trip never eventuated and with his passing, the dream of a papal visit to Chinese soil remains unfulfilled.
Despite decades of diplomatic overtures, no pope has ever been allowed to enter mainland China.
Efforts to build a bridge between the Vatican and Beijing have long been complicated by political sensitivities and a history of mistrust, with tensions dating back to the early years of the communist regime.
Beijing's broken ties with Vatican
Diplomatic ties between Beijing and the Holy See were severed in 1951, just two years after the founding of the People's Republic of China.
"At the time, there were around 3 million Catholics in China," said Zhang Tan, a former official with the religious affairs administration in Guizhou province during the 80s.
"The Chinese government expelled the Vatican's official representative, effectively cutting off diplomatic relations."
The break came amid growing tensions over the Vatican's authority in China, as the communists moved to assert control over religious practice through a state-run administrative system.
Mr Zhang said Catholicism had traditionally followed a conservative and steady path, focused on upholding universal values — a stance the Communist Party viewed with suspicion.
But Francis was seen differently in Beijing.
Unlike his predecessors John Paul II and Benedict XVI, he came from the global south and brought with him a worldview that diverged from the traditional Vatican line.
"He was not from the Western world," Mr Zhang explained.
"He detested capitalism, supported socialism, embraced Latin American liberation theology, and even recognised aspects of Marxist thought.
"It was seen as a real opportunity by the Chinese government. That's when they signed a secret agreement — to this day, no-one knows what's in it."
The Vatican–China agreement, first signed in 2018 and quietly renewed in 2024, grants Beijing a role in the appointment of bishops — a controversial arrangement that remains confidential between the two sides.
While both governments have framed it as a diplomatic milestone, Mr Zhang said the deal came at a significant cost.
"There are many underground Catholic churches and bishops in China who were essentially betrayed," he said.
"Under Chinese law, they no longer have legitimacy. Those appointed by Beijing do."
Mr Zhang said the arrangement reflected how the Chinese government views all religion.
"Whether it's Catholicism or Christianity, the state demands [that people] love the country and love the religion, with patriotism first," he said.
"That has nothing to do with the Bible. The Bible teaches love the God and love others — not patriotism."
There are two branches of the Catholic Church in China: official churches that have joined the state-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association, and underground churches loyal to the Vatican.
Taiwan ties to Holy See
Beijing also refuses to recognise the Vatican's diplomatic relationship with Taiwan.
Taiwan is a core foreign policy issue for China — Bejing has never recognised Taiwan's government and views the island as a breakaway province.
The Holy See is the only state in Europe that maintains formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.
It is also Taiwan's most significant diplomatic partner on the global stage, a relationship Beijing views as a challenge to its "one-China principal".
Following the pope's death, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te issued a statement.
"My sincerest condolences on behalf of the people of Taiwan to the Catholic community and everyone mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis," Dr Lai said.
Taipei also confirmed it will send senior officials as special envoys to Francis's funeral, reaffirming its longstanding diplomatic relationship with the Holy See.
However, China would be "meditating" on which government officials to send to the funeral, said Michel Chambon, a research fellow with the Initiative for the Study of Asian Catholics at the National University of Singapore.
"That's because there is no formal diplomatic relationship. I assume they don't want to leave the seat empty or have it filled by the Republic of China, Taiwan," said Dr Chambon.
He noted that Beijing's response to the pope's death is also likely being carefully weighed through a geopolitical lens, particularly in the context of rising tensions with Washington.
"Right now, one of the core challenges for China is its engagement with the US," he said.
"Chinese policy towards the Catholic Church will be framed for the benefit of this challenge."
Dr Chambon explained the Holy See and China could be "potential partners" when it came to addressing global political challenges, particularly at a time when China's relationship with the US had become strained over the renewed trade war.
With an estimated 10 million Catholics in China, cooperation between Beijing and the Vatican was crucial, said Dr Chambon, adding Francis had "reset" how the two entities engaged with each other.
What's next?
With the pope's death, questions are mounting over the future of China's relations with the Vatican.
The next pontiff will inherit the 2018 agreement on bishop appointments that has drawn both praise and criticism.
Mr Zhang said it remained uncertain whether the next pope would maintain the current approach to China or push for a renegotiation of the agreement.
Beijing, too, faces a balancing act.
While seeking greater global legitimacy and soft power, Beijing has intensified its crackdowns on religious practice, maintaining tight control over all forms of worship and viewing foreign religious influence with deep suspicion.
One analyst said the Communist Party under Mr Xi had "no interest" in getting any closer to the Vatican.
"It has become clear that the agreement since 2018 has benefited the CCP tremendously while the Vatican has gained very little, if anything," said Fenggang Yang, from the Centre on Religion and the Global East at Purdue University.
ABC/Reuters
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