The Vatican and the Chinese government are renewing their agreement on the appointment of bishops and extending it from a two-year to a four-year term, both sides announced. Lin Jian, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman,

The decision by the Vatican and China on Tuesday to extend an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in the communist country for four years indicates a new level of trust between the two parties,

China and the Vatican have agreed to extend a provisional agreement on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four more years, officials said Tuesday. The 2018 agreement, extended twice previously,