The Catholic News Agency on January 23, 2018, reported that 88-year-old Bishop Peter Zhuang Jianjian of Shantou in southern Guangdong province refused a request made by the Holy See in December to retire. The bishop was secretly ordained in 2006 with Vatican approval.The Chinese government does not recognize the ordination, and considers the bishop to be a priest. Similarly the Catholic delegation sent by the Holy See asked Bishop Joseph Guo Xijin, an underground Catholic who was detained for a month before Holy Week in 2017, to resign and 'voluntarily' accept a position as coadjutor bishop under Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu, one of the seven illicitly ordained bishops favored by the government. There is speculation that the Holy See’s negotiations with the Chinese government could eventually lead to Vatican recognition of seven illicitly ordained bishops aligned with Beijing. The Holy See could be pursuing China’s official recognition of 20 bishop candidates appointed by the Holy See, some of whom have already been secretly ordained, in addition to state recognition of up to 40 bishops in the underground Catholic community. Its actions have, however, triggered dissent. In May 2017, the Archbishop Emeritus of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen voiced skepticism of the Vatican’s current diplomatic approach towards China. In his view, the Pope’s advisors are “giving bad advice.” He doubted the goodwill of the government.
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