Beijing ? China’s state-sanctioned Roman Catholic Church will install a new bishop opposed by the Vatican today, potentially damaging efforts to restore official ties between the sides, a Vatican-linked news agency reported.

Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese, which is under Vatican jurisdiction, protested the planned ordainment Saturday.

The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Assn. will ordain Ma Yinglin as bishop of the city of Kunming in southwestern Yunnan province, Rome-based AsiaNews said Friday.

News of the ordainment comes amid indications that Sino-Vatican talks on resuming ties are entering a substantive phase.

AsiaNews said the Vatican opposes Ma because he is too close to the official Chinese church’s leaders and has little pastoral experience.

It said the Holy See had asked that Ma’s ordination be delayed.