Vatican praises new Chinese bishop
20 July 2007
The Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said Father Joseph Li Shan who is set to become the new bishop of Beijing, is "well-suited" for the job, despite that he was not chosen by the Pope. His post is still awaiting the approval from the state-controlled church, the BBC reported. The Vatican's response will ease fears that the appointment would jeopardize fragile ties with China, as the country's estimated 8-12 million Catholics are currently split between the Beijing-approved Patriotic Church and an underground church that remains loyal to Rome. One of the issues that have divided the Vatican and China is Beijing's insistence that the Patriotic Church can appoint bishops without papal approval.