# Vatican-China episcopal appointment developments > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vatican-china-episcopal-appointment-developments > Updated: 2026-10-26T09:15:18.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Under the framework of the 2018 Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, several new bishops have been ordained. On October 15, 2026, Ignacio Ding Zuyao was ordained as the Bishop of Haimen in Jiangsu province, marking the ninth episcopal appointment under the current pontificate. Recent appointments include Francesco Saverio Duan Yongkun in Bameng, Paolo Liu Honggang in Datong, Andrea Ding Wang in Chongqing, and Ignatio Ding Zuyao in Haimen. Many of these new leaders are young, with four of the five 2026 nominees born after 1980, and have been educated within the Chinese system under state supervision. While 19 bishops have been consecrated with consensus from both Rome and Beijing, observers note increasing state oversight. Beijing is reportedly utilizing the agreement to place leaders from the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association at the head of dioceses as part of a broader effort toward the “sinicization of religion.” Furthermore, reports indicate that Chinese bishops have faced restrictions on personal meetings with the Pope or the Vatican Secretariat of State. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-26: China and the Holy See: Recent Bishop Appointments and State Oversight Recent Catholic bishop appointments in China demonstrate the ongoing implementation of the Holy See-China agreement, alongside strict state oversight of clergy and religious activities. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/china-and-the-holy-see-recent-bishop-appointments-and-state-oversight ### 2026-10-15: China: New Bishop ordained under Vatican-Beijing agreement Ignacio Ding Zuyao has been ordained Bishop of Haimen under the Vatican-China agreement, highlighting the ongoing tension between religious autonomy and state-led sinicization. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/china-new-bishop-ordained-under-vatican-beijing-agreement --- Cite as: Vatican-China episcopal appointment developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vatican-china-episcopal-appointment-developments