The Vatican’s secret accord with Beijing will be renewed, effective October 22, without any substantive changes, according to “a high-ranking Vatican official” cited by Crux.

The unnamed official said that the Vatican press office would soon make a formal announcement that the agreement, originally struck in 2018 for a two-year period, would be renewed for the second time.

Although the terms of the agreement have never been disclosed, the understanding governs the appointment of new Catholic bishops in China. Since the original accord was announced, only six new Catholic bishops have been installed; about 40 more appointments are still overdue.