Church Ordains Bishop Against Vatican Wishes

China's state-sanctioned Roman Catholic Church ordained a bishop, rejecting a Vatican request to delay the appointment.

China's Foreign Ministry defended the official church's right to ordain bishops without Vatican input.

The ordination could damage efforts to restore Sino-Vatican ties, cut in 1951 soon after the Communist Party came to power. One of the stumbling blocks has long been a dispute over who has the authority to appoint bishops.