China says it has extended agreement with Vatican on bishops

China and the Vatican have agreed to extend an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for a longer period of four years, Beijing said on Tuesday.

The Vatican struck a landmark deal with the Beijing government in 2018. The agreement, which was previously renewed every two years, gives Chinese officials some input into who Pope Francis appoints as bishops in the country.

The two sides will continue to hold talks in a constructive manner and improve relations, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Vatican.

Conservative Catholics have criticized the agreement as handing over too much control to China. Cardinal Joseph Zen, 92, who served as bishop of Hong Kong from 2002-09, has been among the most vocal critics.

The Vatican says the accord resolves a decades-long split between an underground church swearing loyalty to the Vatican and the state-supervised Catholic Patriotic Association.

The deal has never been published, but only described by diplomatic officials. The Vatican says the pope retains final decision-making power in appointment of Chinese bishops.

Speaking last month at the end of a tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Francis said the results of the 2018 deal "are good".

"I am happy with the dialogue with China," the 87-year-old pontiff said. "We are working with good will."