According to four clerics, Chinese bishops and religious leaders briefed senior Hong Kong Catholic clergymen on President Xi Jinping's vision of religion with "Chinese characteristics" during an unprecedented meeting organized by the mainland's representative office in the city.
The clerics who attended or knew about the Oct. 31 meeting described it as Beijing's most assertive move yet in its attempts to influence Hong Kong's diocese, which is answerable to the Vatican and includes some high-ranking leaders who have long been defenders of democracy and human rights in the semi-autonomous territory.
While Hong Kong's Catholic leaders had previously met their mainland counterparts individually, this was the first time the two sides met formally – and the first time mainland religious officials had instigated such a meeting, according to the clerics.
Despite the meeting's symbolism, mainland officials and religious leaders avoided an overtly political message, according to them.
The meeting, which has not been made public, also sheds light on what some religious leaders, politicians, and diplomats describe as the growing role of Beijing's Central Government Liaison Office in Hong Kong, which formally represents the mainland in the city but has traditionally maintained a low profile.
Photo Credits: INQUIRER.NET
Reference: INQUIRER.NET
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