Beijing spent generously on the seven-month church restoration, provided hundreds of potted flowers and restored a seminary on the same site. When the church reopened, state papers touted the show of official openness. But it seems that regardless of Beijing's attitude, the floodgates to religion have opened and Chinese people are embracing Christianity and with the doors to China open, its not easy to control the details. Much of that time, in the past, was given to bible smuggling. Now, there is little need, as China churns out its own bibles at two sanctioned publishing houses.
People are much more in touch with the church outside China now.
That's one great thing, improvement in communications the telephone, fax, emails. People are in touch. For the average person, there are certainly more opportunities for religious expression. But that's only for people willing to make compromises. The entire structure of the church in China, which is stifled by state-run organizations like the Patriotic Catholic Association, is the real sticking point between Beijing and the Vatican, which has operated from a base in Taiwan since its church leaders were expelled from China in 1951.