The Vatican and China are preparing to renew a historic deal on the appointment of bishops that has slightly thawed icy relations -- much to the displeasure of the US.

Pope Francis has been working hard to repair ties with the Communist country, but his overtures run contrary to US President Donald Trump's efforts to push a religious freedom theme against China in his campaign for a second term.
The president's secretary of state Mike Pompeo went on the offensive last week in an article in US religious magazine First Things, slamming the "horrific" persecution of believers of all faiths in China.
He wrote that many countries had expressed "revulsion" at "accelerating violations of human rights".