A Chinese bishop recognised by the Vatican has been arrested in his diocese just as Beijing and the Holy See are set to confirm a historic agreement on the appointment of bishops, a Vatican-linked website reported.

AsiaNews, run by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions -- a missionary society recognised by the Vatican -- wrote on Tuesday that Vincent Guo Xijin, bishop of the diocese of Mindong in the southeastern Fujian province, was arrested on Monday along with another official of the diocese.

The Vatican refused to comment on the news. Contacted by AFP, both the local Chinese police and the Fujian provincial office of religious affairs said they were unaware of the arrests.

Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic relations in 1951 and although ties have improved as China's Catholic population grows, they have remained at odds over the designation of bishops.

China's roughly 12 million Catholics are divided between a government-run association, whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party, and an unofficial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican.

The situation is however complex because the Vatican has previously accepted several bishops appointed by Beijing, officially an atheist regime.

Bishop Guo, 59, is recognised by the Vatican but not by the Chinese authorities.

- 'Shameful' -

He was recently urged by the Vatican to step aside for Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu and to accept being demoted to auxiliary bishop, as part of the preparation for the agreement it has been working on with China for the last three years.

AsiaNews reports that Guo was summoned by the authorities responsible for religious affairs on Monday afternoon, then returned to his residence in the early evening to pack his bags before being taken away at around 22:00 local time.

According to Catholics consulted by AsiaNews, the disappearance of the bishop of Mindong can be explained by his refusal to celebrate Easter with the prelate who will replace him.

The site also reports that this same bishop disappeared for 20 days last year.

An Amnesty International official in China, Patrick Poon, said the Chinese government urgently needed to communicate the fate of the bishop.

"It's disgraceful to harass the prelate and take him away for no legitimate reason. It's a blatant violation of freedom of religion," Poon told AFP.

According to information from the French daily La Croix published Monday, a Chinese delegation is expected this week in Rome.

The former bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen, fierce opponent of the agreement with China, told the newspaper that the historic accord could even be signed on Tuesday.

However, the Vatican did not confirm Zen's claim.

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