The Vatican, formerly known as the Roman Catholic papal state, is still the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. According to Catholic doctrine, only the Pope has the right to appoint bishops.

Catholicism in China belongs to the management of the three-self church. Three-Self Church or Three-Self Patriotic Church refers to an "autonomous, self-supporting, autobiographical" Christian church in China, which supports the political leadership of the people of China and the China government and its ruling party China. Therefore, the Catholic bishops in China are appointed by three churches, not by the Pope.

The Holy See (Vatican) considers the appointment of the Three-Self Church illegal, and claims that only bishops appointed by them are legal bishops, and Catholic bishops in China should be appointed by the Holy See. The sharp religious conflict between the Vatican and China is the main reason why the Vatican does not establish diplomatic relations with China.