The Vatican’s highest ranking representative on Chinese-controlled soil on Thursday held out hope that a compromise could be reached on the appointment of Catholic bishops on the mainland – one of the main barriers standing in the way of normalisation of Sino-Vatican relations.

“Only the Holy Father can decide what people are suitable,” Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen said. “But if the government is worried about an appointment they can give their views … It has happened in the past.” Such an unofficial arrangement was in place in Poland during the Cold War.