The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a bipartisan federal agency which operates independently of government, has said it is is very concerned about the situation facing many Catholics in China - especially those in unrecognised congregations.

The Vatican has issued a strong statement against the episcopal ordination of Fr John Wang Renlei on 30 November 2006, at Xuzhou in the province of Jiangsu, China.

Bishop David J. H. Lai of Taiwan paid his first official visit to mainland China this week, meeting with state officials in Beijing, exchanging information with new friends in Nanjing and Shanghai, and emphasizing the need for harmonious relationships - a message that resonantes with the country's official Protestant churches in their post-denominational era.