Should Catholic Social Teaching be introduced in China? The recent translation into Chinese of the document by the then Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, The Vocation of the Business Leader[1] (VBL), provides an opportunity for introducing Catholic Social Teaching (CST) not only to Chinese Catholics, but also to non-Catholics with the aim of promoting high standards in international business ethics. One of the most attractive aspects of the VBL document is that it focuses rigorously on the challenge of forming the conscience of those who conduct business. It does not focus on the broader range of public policy questions, such as human rights, which while usually identified with CST, may hinder it from making much of an impact in China. Precisely because the VBL document is relatively neutral when it comes to questions of political ideology, it may allow for a fresh reading of CST’s basic orientation to moral leadership, and how it may be integrated into China’s own struggle to establish a public morality capable of sustaining a genuinely civil society. Stay Updated on Our Newsletter Get the digital edition of La Civiltà Cattolica and read top Church scholars interpreting history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith. Unsubscribe