Beijing bishop visits Hong Kong amid tensions between China and Vatican

In this screencap taken from a video footage run by TVB, Li, the head of the Catholic church in China, (right) stands outside Hong Kong's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Hong Kong. - AP

HONG KONG (Reuters): China's state-backed Bishop of Beijing visited Hong Kong on Tuesday amid fears among some Catholics that Beijing wants tighter control over religious affairs in Hong Kong.

The visit is the first trip by a mainland Chinese bishop since the former British colony was returned to China in 1997 and follows a landmark visit to the Chinese capital by his Hong Kong counterpart in April.