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,

Critics argue the pact legitimizes China’s control over church affairs, while defenders say it helps support Catholics faithful to the Vatican in the Communist country.

In 2018, the Vatican and the government of China signed an agreement outlining procedures for ensuring that Catholic bishops elected by the Catholic community in China are approved by the pope before their ordinations or installations. The provisional agreement, which has never been published, was renewed for two years in 2020 and 2022.

China and the Vatican have agreed to extend a provisional agreement on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four more years.

The renewal comes days after a report from the Hudson Institute detailed how seven Catholic bishops in China have been detained without due process, while other bishops have experienced intense pressure,

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.

On Tuesday Vatican and Chinese authorities announced that they had extended a controversial agreement on episcopal appointments for a third time, this time extending it by four years rather than two.

The provisional agreement was first signed in 2018 and then renewed in 2020 and 2022. The most recent two-year renewal signed in 2022 expires this week on Oct. 22.

ROME, OCT 22 - The Holy See on Tuesday renewed its agreement with China on the appointment of Beijing-approved bishops for four years and said dialogue was continuing on full freedom of worship in the Asian country.