Vatican Diplomacy in China and Vietnam

Abstract

After the collapse of Soviet communism in 1991, there was some hope that a democratic transition might occur within the remaining communist countries. To preempt any such “contagion,” the communist parties of China and Vietnam acted quickly to contain possible domestic and international threats, thereby immunizing their reign. Such threats included the Catholic Church (“Church”), which scholars had identified as playing an important role in the democratization processes of East-Central Europe. This particular religious factor, however, seemed to be less of a threat in China and Vietnam since only a minority of the population in both countries identify with Catholicism.