As UCA News reported on 23 July 2018, the two official Catholic associations in China have published a 15 page paper in which they outlined initial plans for promoting
Sinicization in a Catholic context. Meanwhile, 34 unregistered house-churches in Beijing have issued a
joint-statement calling on the authorities to respect freedom of religion enshrined in China"s Constitution, as reported by Radio Free Asia on 24 July 2018.
Thomas Muller, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, explains: "The Five-Year-Plan published by the country"s Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic Patriotic Association uses the term "Sinicization" no less than 72 times in its 15 pages. Workshops on possible implications have already been held in Henan and Hebei provinces. To what extent Christianity - regardless of denomination - can be brought in line with socialist core values remains to be seen."
Thomas Muller adds: "Meanwhile, there are other challenges for government and society to face and Christians are asking themselves if the authorities have set the right priorities. As Reuters reported on 19 July 2018, China"s rural areas are suffering from an
ageing population and the government is finding it hard to encourage young people to leave the cities and return to the countryside. This is also a problem experienced by churches. However, this is where Christianity with its strong tradition of caring for the poor and elderly, could step in and show how Christians can actively help society."
