The Catholic Church in Greater China comprises 152 Latin jurisdictions: 21 ecclesiastical provinces (including one for Taiwan), consisting of 21 metropolitan archdioceses and 101 suffragan dioceses 28 apostolic prefectures 1 exempt diocese, the Diocese of Macau 1 apostolic administration, the Apostolic Administration of Harbin
Furthermore, the Eastern Catholic (Byzantine rite) Russian Greek Catholic Church has an exempt apostolic exarchate for China in Harbin.
There is an apostolic nunciature as papal diplomatic representation (embassy-level) to China, in Taipei, the seat of government of the Republic of China on Taiwan, also charged with mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
The Catholic Church recognizes the Republic of China as the sole government for all of China; nevertheless, it does not recognize all of its territorial claims. In this context, the term "China" is understood as including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan in its 1949 provincial boundaries and mainland China as effectively controlled by the People's Republic of China. Due to the non-recognition of the People's Republic of China, however, the authority of the Taipei-based Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference is effectively limited to the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The dioceses of Hong Kong (suffragan of Guangzhou) and Macao (exempt) do not belong to that conference. The dioceses of mainland China take part in the Beijing-based Chinese Bishops Conference, which is not recognized by the Holy See.
Current Latin dioceses in Greater China Note that the diocese of Hong Kong belongs to the Ecclesiastical Province of Guangzhou, whereas the diocese of Macau is exempt. Also note that a small part of the diocese of Xiamen, the island of Kinmen, is administered by the Republic of China. At this moment, this part of the diocese is administered by the archdiocese of Taipei.
In all of greater China, only one non-Latin jurisdiction exists: an apostolic exarchate of the Russian Greek Catholic Church in Harbin. It has, however, been vacant since 1939. Area Archdioceses Dioceses Apostolic prefectures Apostolic administrations Total Mainland China 20 94 28 1 143 Hong Kong 0 1 0 0 1 Macau 0 1 0 0 1 Taiwan 1 6 0 0 7 Total 21 101 29 1 152
However, the Chinese government has its own division of the dioceses, which is not necessarily identical to that of the Holy See. For example, many dioceses have been merged, and the difference between archdioceses, dioceses, apostolic prefectures and apostolic administrations has been abolished. Thus, according to the Chinese government, mainland China is divided into 104 jurisdictions, all dioceses.
Originally, the ecclesiastical provinces were closely aligned with the civil provinces of China. However, the borders of most provinces have not been redrawn again for decades. As a general guideline, however, the ecclesiastical provinces largely correspond with the following civil provinces:
Ecclesiastical province Civil province Jurisdictions (Holy See) Jurisdictions (CPCA) Anqing Anhui 4 1 Beijing Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin 15 (16 if including Xiwanzi) 12 Changsha Hunan 9 1 Chongqing Chongqing, Sichuan, Tibet 8 8 Fuzhou Fujian 6 4 Guangzhou Guangdong, Hong Kong(, Macau, Hainan) 9 (including Hong Kong and Macau; 8 if excluding Beihai) 7 (9 including Hong Kong and Macau) Guiyang Guizhou 3 1 Hangzhou Zhejiang 5 5 Hankou Hubei 11 5 Jinan Shandong 11 9 Kaifeng Henan 9 9 Kunming Yunnan 3 3 Lanzhou Gansu(, Qinghai, Xinjiang) 5 5 Nanchang Jiangxi 5 1 Nanjing Jiangsu, Shanghai 7 5 Nanning Guangxi 3 (4 if including Beihai) 1 Shenyang Jilin, Liaoning(, Heilongjiang) 12 (11 if excluding Chifeng) 3 Suiyuan Inner Mongolia, Ningxia 4 (also 4 if including Chifeng and excluding Xiwanzi) 6 Taipei Taiwan, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei, Taoyuan, Fujian (Kinmen-Matsu) 7 — Taiyuan Shanxi 8 10 Xi'an Shaanxi 8 8 Total 152 104 (106 including Hong Kong, Macau)
The ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Hainan, Macao, Qinghai and Xinjiang are all exempt, though Macao is a diocese (the others are apostolic prefectures or apostolic administrations). Heilongjiang is also exempt, being administered by three apostolic prefectures, with the exception of some parts of Mudanjiang, which belong to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yanji, which is located in Jilin province (Ecclesiastical Province of Shenyang).
In the Apostolic Constitution of 11 April 1946, all provinces are named by the name of the civil province as well as by the name of the archdiocese. The province of Suiyuan is described as the province of Mongolia, and the province of Shenyang as the province of Manchuria. However, these two names are not used anymore.
Current Latin provinces and dioceses in PR China incl. Hong Kong
Ecclesiastical Province of Anqing The Ecclesiastical Province of Anqing roughly covers the territory of Anhui province. The archdiocese is located in Anqing, even though Hefei has been the provincial capital since the 1940s – in fact, no diocese is located in Hefei. Also, apart from the archdiocese and the two diocese, there is also one exempt jurisdiction, the Apostolic Prefecture of Tunxi. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Anqing 安慶 Diocese of Bengbu 蚌埠 Diocese of Wuhu 蕪湖
Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing The territory of the Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing is largely equal to that of Hebei province, when including Beijing and Tianjin. An important exception was Chengde; however, in 2018, the diocese of Chengde was erected, a suffragan of the archdiocese of Beijing, covering the entire prefecture-level city of Chengde. Furthermore, Puyang and Xinxiang's Changyuan County (Henan province) belong to the diocese of Daming (Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing), whereas Handan's Linzhang County, She County and Wu'an (all located in Hebei) belong to the diocese of Weihui (Ecclesiastical Province of Kaifeng). Shandongs Ningjin County also belongs to the diocese of Jingxian. Parts of Qinhuangdao and Zhangjiakou do not belong to the Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing. Furthermore, the Apostolic Prefecture of Yixian has not yet been elevated to the rank of diocese, and as such is not yet part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing, but is still exempt.
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Beijing 北京 Diocese of Anguo 安國 Diocese of Baoding 保定 Diocese of Chengde 承德 Diocese of Daming 大名 Diocese of Jingxian 景縣 (also known as Hengshui) Diocese of Shunde 順得 Diocese of Tianjin 天津 Diocese of Xianxian 獻縣 (also known as Cangzhou) Diocese of Yongnian 永年 Diocese of Yongping 永平 (also known as Tangshan) Diocese of Zhaoxian 趙縣 Diocese of Zhangjiakou 張家口 (Merged from Xiwanzi and Xuanhua) Diocese of Zhengding 正定
Ecclesiastical Province of Changsha The Ecclesiastical Province of Changsha roughly covers the territory of Hunan province. In Hunan province, five exempt jurisdictions are also located: the Apostolic Prefecture of Baoqing, the Apostolic Prefecture of Lixian, the Apostolic Prefecture of Xiangtan, the Apostolic Prefecture of Yongzhou and the Apostolic Prefecture of Yueyang. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Changsha 長沙 Diocese of Changde 常德 Diocese of Hengzhou 衡州 Diocese of Yuanling 沅陵
Ecclesiastical Province of Chongqing The Ecclesiastical Province of Chongqing roughly corresponds to Sichuan and Chongqing (Chongqing was separated from Sichuan in 1997) and also covers Tibet, though the diocese serving Tibet, the diocese of Kangding, is located in Sichuan. All the dioceses are located in Sichuan, except for Chongqing and Wanxian, which are located in Chongqing. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chongqing 重慶 Diocese of Chengdu 成都 Diocese of Jiading 嘉定 Diocese of Kangding 康定 Diocese of Ningyuan 甯遠 Diocese of Shunqing 順慶 Diocese of Suifu 敘府 Diocese of Wanxian 萬縣
Ecclesiastical Province of Fuzhou The Ecclesiastical Province of Fuzhou roughly covers the territory of Fujian province. In Fujian province, two exempt jurisdictions are also located: the Apostolic Prefecture of Jian'ou and the Apostolic Prefecture of Shaowu. Note that Kinmen belongs to the diocese of Xiamen, and Matsu Islands belongs to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fuzhou, but both are administered by the archdiocese of Taipei. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Fuzhou 福州 Diocese of Funing 福寧 Diocese of Tingzhou 汀州 Diocese of Xiamen 廈門
Ecclesiastical Province of Guangzhou The Ecclesiastical Province of Guangzhou roughly covers Guangdong and Hong Kong. Nearby Macau and Hainan are both exempt: the diocese of Macau and the Apostolic Prefecture of Hainan. Also, note that the diocese of Beihai is located in Guangxi. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guangzhou 廣州 Diocese of Beihai 北海 Diocese of Hong Kong 香港 (de facto extempt to the Holy See since 1951) Diocese of Jiangmen 江門 Diocese of Jiaying 嘉應 Diocese of Shantou 汕頭 Diocese of Shaozhou 韶州
Ecclesiastical Province of Guiyang The Ecclesiastical Province of Guiyang roughly covers the territory of Guizhou. In Guizhou province, one exempt jurisdiction is also located: the Apostolic Prefecture of Shiqian. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Guiyang 貴陽 Diocese of Nanlong 南龍
Ecclesiastical Province of Hangzhou The Ecclesiastical Province of Hangzhou roughly covers the territory of Zhejiang. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hangzhou 杭州 Diocese of Lishui 麗水 Diocese of Ningbo 寧波 Diocese of Taizhou 台州 Diocese of Yongjia 永嘉
Ecclesiastical Province of Hankou The Ecclesiastical Province of Hankou roughly corresponds with Hubei. Hankou has been merged with Wuchang and Hanyang to form Wuhan in 1927. Apart from the dioceses, two exempt jurisdictions exist, the Apostolic Prefecture of Shashi and the Apostolic Prefecture of Suixian. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hankou 漢口 Diocese of Hanyang 漢陽 Diocese of Laohekou 老河口 Diocese of Puqi 蒲圻 Diocese of Qizhou 蘄州 Diocese of Shinan 施南 Diocese of Wuchang 武昌 Diocese of Xiangyang 襄陽 Diocese of Yichang 宜昌
Ecclesiastical Province of Jinan Apart from the dioceses, Shandong province also has two apostolic prefectures: the Apostolic Prefecture of Weihai and the Apostolic Prefecture of Linqing. However, even after taking this into account, the boundaries do not completely correspond with Shandong province. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Jinan 濟南 Diocese of Caozhou 曹州 Diocese of Qingdao 青島 Diocese of Yanggu 陽穀 Diocese of Yantai 煙台 Diocese of Yanzhou 兖州 Diocese of Yizhou 沂州 Diocese of Zhoucun 周村 Diocese of Weifang 濰坊 (elevated in 2023)
Ecclesiastical Province of Kaifeng The territory of the Ecclesiastical Province of Kaifeng is almost equal to that of Henan province. However, Puyang and Xinxiang's Changyuan County belong to the diocese of Daming (Ecclesiastical Province of Beijing), whereas Handan's Linzhang County, She County and Wu'an (all located in Hebei) belong to the diocese of Weihui. Furthermore, the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang has not yet been elevated to the rank of diocese, and as such is not yet part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Kaifeng, but is still exempt.
Note that the archdiocese is located in Kaifeng, and not in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan since 1954. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kaifeng 開封 Diocese of Guide 歸德 (also known as Shangqiu) Diocese of Luoyang 洛陽 Diocese of Nanyang 南陽 Diocese of Weihui 衛輝 (also known as Anyang) Diocese of Xinyang 信陽 Diocese of Zhengzhou 鄭州 Diocese of Zhumadian 駐馬店
Ecclesiastical Province of Kunming The Ecclesiastical Province of Kunming roughly covers the territory of Yunnan. In Yunnan province, one exempt jurisdiction is also located: the Apostolic Prefecture of Zhaotong. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kunming 昆明 Diocese of Dali 大理
Ecclesiastical Province of Lanzhou The Ecclesiastical Province of Lanzhou roughly covers the territory of Gansu. Note that Xinjiang is covered by the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinjiang-Urumqi and Qinghai by the Apostolic Prefecture of Xining. Historically, both provinces were part of the Apostolic Vicariate (now Archdiocese) of Lanzhou.