Pope makes new overture to China, calling Beijing ‘a promise and hope’ for the church
Pope Francis has offered extensive praise for China at the end of a trip through Asia
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis declared Friday that China was “a promise and a hope” for the Catholic Church, offering extensive praise for Beijing at the end of a four-nation tour through Asia and again expressed hope to one day visit.
Francis’ comments, during an in-flight press conference en route home from Singapore, came as the Vatican enters into the final weeks of negotiations to renew a 2018 agreement over the contentious issue of bishop nominations.
Francis declared himself “happy” with the process, saying both sides were engaging in negotiations in a spirit of good will. “I’m happy with the dialogue with China,” he said. “The result is good.”
“China for me is an illusion, in the sense that I want to visit China,” he said. “A great country. I admire China. I respect China. It’s a country with a millennial culture, with a capacity for dialogue and understanding that goes beyond other systems of democracy.”
