Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong, has been a prominent advocate for human rights and religious freedom in China and a leading opponent of the Vatican’s 2018 secret agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops in China.

Born on January 13, 1932, in Shanghai, Zen fled to Hong Kong in 1948 to escape Communist rule following the Chinese Civil War and that same year joined the Salesians there. He was ordained priest on February 11, 1961, and pursued higher education, obtaining a licentiate in theology in 1961 and a doctorate in philosophy in 1964 from the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome.

After his ordination, Zen taught in various seminaries in China and Hong Kong and served as the Salesian Provincial Superior for China from 1978 to 1983. In 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him as the coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong. He became the Bishop of Hong Kong in 2002 and was elevated to cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

Cardinal Zen has been a prominent voice for democracy and religious freedom in Hong Kong and mainland China. He has actively participated in pro-democracy demonstrations, including the 2003 protest against proposed anti-subversion laws and the 2014 Occupy Central movement. In 2011, he went on a three-day hunger strike to protest changes in how aided schools were run in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong cardinal has been outspoken on issues regarding human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty. He has consistently advocated for the rights of the underground Catholic Church in mainland China and has been critical of the Chinese government’s control over religious affairs.

In recent years, Cardinal Zen has been a strident critic of the Vatican’s 2018 deal with China regarding the appointment of bishops, arguing that it would “kill” the underground church in China and compromise the Church’s independence.

In May 2022, at the age of 90, Cardinal Zen was arrested in Hong Kong on charges related to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which provided support to pro-democracy protesters. He was accused of failing to register the charity and of colluding with foreign forces. This arrest was widely seen as part of the Chinese government’s crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong and raised concerns about religious freedom in the region.

Cardinal Zen’s arrest and the ongoing tensions between the Vatican and China have put him at the center of a complex geopolitical and religious situation. His advocacy for democracy and religious freedom, coupled with his criticism of both the Chinese government and the Vatican’s approach to China, has made him a controversial but respected figure in the Church and beyond.