China moves Tibet hardliner to heavily Catholic province

[Dale_M]

The hardline Chinese official removed last week as Communist Party chief of restive Tibet has been made head of the province in the center of contention over China’s Catholics, giving him an influential role in another sensitive religious issue.

Zhang Qingli, who gained a reputation as an unyielding Communist Party secretary of heavily Buddhist Tibet, has been appointed party secretary of Hebei, the province surrounding Beijing, the Xinhua news agency reported late on Sunday.

Hebei, with a population of 70 million, is home to roughly a quarter of China’s 8-12 million Roman Catholics.

news.yahoo.com/china-moves-tibet-hardliner-heavily-catholic-province-042233392.html;_ylt=AsWQP4EU0qm7kbfGMLpnomc7Xs8F;_ylu=X3oDMTQzcTJuMjRtBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBVU1NGIFJlbGlnaW9uU1NGBHBrZwNjZjcwZmEzZS1kYmVlLTNhYmYtYjM2NS01NWYxOGM1ZmNmOTQEcG9zAzgEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDZTZhNDkyYTAtZDFmNi0xMWUwLWJkZWYtZjZkNTI0YjUyZWU5;_ylg=X3oDMTF2Y2VzZTFkBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN1c3xyZWxpZ2lvbgRwdANzZWN0aW9ucwR0ZXN0Aw–;_ylv=3

His new position is expected to give him significant influence in setting policy regarding relations with the Vatican, and the government-led Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (which does have apostolic succession and has been threatening schism.)