The Pope's letter to Chinese Catholics has placed "new obstacles" in the way of better relations with Beijing, according to an "authoritative" Chinese source cited by Hong Kong daily Wen Wei Po.
China "cannot accept this letter, which is destined to add new obstacles to the next step in dialogue between China and the Vatican," the anonymous source told the pro-China daily.
Benedict's letter contained a call for greater religious freedom in China and at the same time expressed a desire for dialogue with Beijing.
The source quoted by Wen Wei Po acknowledged "positive elements" in the 55-page document published Saturday by Benedict XVI but described the whole as "rigid and hardly realistic".
It also criticised the letter for failing to deal with the "problem of Taiwan", which China sees as a renegade province.
The Vatican transferred its apostolic nunzio (ambassador) from Beijing to Taiwan in 1951, shortly after the Communist Revolution.
