Rome Newsroom, Sep 13, 2022 / 04:59 am
Pope Francis told journalists on the papal plane Tuesday that he is ready for the first papal trip to China.
In a conversation with reporters on the flight from Rome to Kazakhstan on Sept. 13, the pope said: “I’m always ready to go to China.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Kazakhstan on Sept. 14, midway through Pope Francis’ three-day trip to the Central Asian country. Reuters reported that the pope said he did not “have any news” about the speculation that he might meet Xi during the trip.
The coinciding visits of Francis and Xi come as the Holy See and China determine the renewal of a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops in China and a Catholic cardinal is preparing to stand trial in Hong Kong for his role in a pro-democracy legal fund.