Rome will appoint bishops in China, let it be clear: Pope Francis

Pope Francis said today that he and not China will have final say in the appointment of bishops after the Vatican and China struck a historic deal last week ending decades of conflict.

Read:Pope Francis 'begs for God's forgiveness' for sexual abuse scandal

Francis, however, conceded "Catholics will suffer" but added that in a "peace accord or negotiation both sides lose something".

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"I think of the endurance of the Catholics who suffered. It is true that they will suffer. There is always suffering in an accord, but they have great faith," the Pope said.

According to the deal, new bishops first will be proposed by members of local Catholic communities together with Chinese authorities and the names of candidates will be sent to the Vatican.

"It's not (that the government) names them. It is a dialogue. But Rome will appoint them. Let that be clear," he said of the deal, which was more than 10 years in the making, the Pope said, adding,"This was no improvisation. It is a journey, a real journey."

"My thoughts are with the resistance, the Catholics who have suffered, it's true," the Pope said.

There are an estimated 12 million Catholics in China split between the underground church and serving state-led Catholic Patriotic Association.

A Vatican statement had said the agreement was "not political but pastoral." The pact effectively means the Chinese government recognises the Pope as leader of all Catholics in China.

In the deal, Pope Francis posthumously recognised seven clergies appointed by China who "had expressed the desire to be reconciled with the Apostolic See". The Vatican had cut ties withChina in 1951, two years after the Communist party came to power.

The Catholic Church is among 17 countries that recognise Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province. Beijing has however not made any precondition to derecognise Taiwan in the pact with the Vatican, according to reports.