https://www.metro.us/vatican-officials-defend-accord/

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Vatican officials have defended their intention to renew an accord with Beijing that gives the pope say over the appointment of Chinese bishops, following a highly unusual public call from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to abandon it.

In a series of Tweets and an editorial in a conservative U.S. Catholic journal published on Saturday, Pompeo said the Vatican should not renew the agreement, which was signed two years ago and expires next month.

“The Vatican endangers its moral authority, should it renew the deal,” Pompeo Tweeted.

Three senior Vatican officials who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity said the Holy See was taken aback by the comments by Pompeo, who is due to visit the Vatican at the end of this month.

Pope Francis has signed off on a two-year extension of the agreement with Beijing, which allows the pope final say over the appointment of bishops in China and also permits Chinese Catholics to recognise him as leader of the universal Church.

Before the deal, the state-backed official Catholic Church in China was barred from recognising the authority of Rome, while an underground, unofficial Church continued to do so.

One of the senior Vatican sources said the Holy See was “surprised” about Pompeo’s intervention, given his coming visit.

“This is not a normal way to go about setting an agenda. Normally between ministries you have confidential exchanges to determine what is going to be on the agenda.”

https://www.compellingtruth.org/universal-local-church.html

The church universal includes every believer in the world, no matter what denomination, and excludes every non-believer even if they go to a Bible-teaching church. Our responsibilities to the universal church include prayer, support, and not causing division because of minor theological differences. It's important to note that the church universal may include individuals who go to local congregations that do not teach the true gospel.