Beijing's mouthpiece in Hong Kong launched a scathing attack on Friday against the outspoken leader of Hong Kong's Catholic church, accusing him of causing trouble and stirring up anti-government sentiment.
The Hong Kong edition of the China Daily newspaper lashed out at Bishop Joseph Zen, who has opposed the government on major political issues including a controversial anti-subversion law that sparked the city's largest demonstrations in years.
''In all political episodes and disputes in Hong Kong in recent years, Zen has had a finger in every pie,'' the Chinese state-controlled newspaper said in an editorial.
''Manoeuvring between the government and different political groups, he has actually eclipsed all other trouble-making politicians,'' it said. ''His stirring up of anti-government sentiment is an undeniable fact.''
No stranger to criticism from pro-Beijing figures, Zen snubbed the commentary. ''I don't see anything new... I don't think it is anything special,'' he told Reuters.
Zen, a vocal critic of the governments in Beijing and Hong Kong, has backed demonstrations by mainland Chinese seeking residency rights in Hong Kong, condemned the national security law and called on Catholics to join protests against it.
The proposed law is the most controversial issue the former British colony has grappled with since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Critics fear it will erode rights and freedoms in the territory.
The newspaper said Zen was among a few leaders of the local Catholic church who were overstepping their limits and turning the diocese into ''something like a political organisation.''
''Catholic leaders forsake altar for political stage,'' the headline read.
''They are eager to put up political shows, coming to the forefront of the political stage and confusing their role as clergymen with that of politicians,'' the editorial said.
''(They) have violated Jesus Christ's principle: 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's'...they have been playing the role of Caesar by fanning up disputes and conflicts and sowing the seed of discord everywhere.''
Under the proposed national security law, people found guilty of acts of treason, sedition, secession from or subversion against the mainland government could be imprisoned for life.
After half a million people took to the streets on July 1 to denounce it, and a key legislative ally of Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa defected, the government removed some of the most contentious clauses and postponed final readings of the bill.
It said on Thursday that it plans to reopen consultations on the law in September but stopped short of demands from critics to scrap the whole bill and start public discussions from scratch.
Zen had sounded a warning that under one of the original bill's wide-ranging provisions the Roman Catholic church in Hong Kong risked being banned because it was illegal in China, but the government recently bowed to pressure and dropped that clause.
China officially protects religious freedom but recognises only state churches. It cut off relations with the Vatican about 50 years ago