The head of the Chinese Bishop's Conference, Liu Yuanren, who is also bishop of Nanjing,...

The head of the Chinese Bishop's Conference, Liu Yuanren, who is also bishop of Nanjing, arrives at Beijing's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to preside over an ordination of five new bishops January 6. The timing of the ceremony appeared to be an open challenge to the [Pope], just hours before he was due to ordain 12 new bishops around the world at St. Peter's in Rome. China's determination to go ahead with the ordination in the face of blunt Vatican denunciations appeared to mark the breakdown of talks aimed at establishing diplomatic relations, now stymied by the Vatican's ties with Taiwan.