{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Vatican in Transition: China, Religion, and the Legacy of Pope Francis","description":"The death of Pope Francis came at a delicate moment in the Vatican\u2019s relationship with China. Since 2018, the Holy See has pursued a cautious and often controversial diplomatic engagement with Beijing to maintain the Church\u2019s relevance in China while navigating the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s strict control over religion.   This approach has unfolded against a backdrop of repression of underground clergy and growing pressure from Beijing for the Vatican to sever ties with Taiwan. For observers, this period offers insight into how a global religious institution operates within a system in which space for religion and civil society is tightly constrained. With the new pope\u2019s first hundred days behind him, long-standing questions about religious freedom, geopolitical recognition, and the boundaries of engagement remain central, and may take on new dimensions under his leadership.  In a conversation recorded on August 17, Ian Johnson, Francesco Sisci, and Karrie Koessel discuss the key issues currently shaping China\u2013Vatican relations and how they may evolve under the new pope.  About this program ","author_name":"The US-China Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/chinapodcast.libsyn.com","html":"