China expressed condolences on Tuesday over the death of Pope Francis, pledging to work with the Vatican to promote the continuous improvement of bilateral relations.

Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican said in a statement.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was elected to lead the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, making him the first pontiff from Latin America.

China and the Vatican have maintained constructive contacts in recent years, developed beneficial exchanges and had broad communication on international issues, said Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, at a daily news conference in Beijing.

In October, the two sides agreed to extend a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops in China for four more years. The agreement, which was signed in 2018, was previously extended twice — in 2020 and 2022.

The provisional agreement has been implemented smoothly, Guo said.

When commenting on the relations between the Vatican and China's Taiwan region, the spokesman emphasized that exchanges with the region violate the one-China principle.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, he noted.

More and more countries are recognizing and adhering to the one-China principle, Guo said, adding that he hopes relevant countries will recognize the trend of history and return to the consensus of adhering to this principle.

Pope Francis will be laid to rest at 10 am on Saturday at St. Peter's Square, after lying in state for three days in St. Peter's Basilica, where the faithful are expected to pay their respects starting on Wednesday.