Pope Francis said Thursday that he didn’t understand China but respected it, as another opportunity to improve ties came and went when the pope and Chinese president were within a few miles (kilometers) of one another in Kazakhstan but didn’t meet.
The Holy See had sent an “expression of availability” to Beijing that Francis would be free to meet with President Xi Jinping during the Chinese leader’s brief state visit Wednesday to the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan. But China replied there wouldn’t be time, a Vatican official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
