01/19/2015, 00.00
CHINA - VATICAN
Send to a friend

Pope Francis sends telegram to Xi Jinping. Xinhua’s black out on Philippines’ visit

It is still unknown whether there was any response from Xi Jinping. The state agency publishes only bad news-stories related to the Philippines, coinciding with the papal visit. Instead the Global Times instead publishes editorials and extensive photo coverage on yesterday’s Mass.

Manila (AsiaNews) - Returning to the Vatican, Pope Francis sent, as usual, telegrams to the heads of state of the countries crossed by the papal plane. Once again - as was the case for his trip to South Korea, last August - the pontiff flew over China, thus sending another telegram to President Xi Jinping.

"I send cordial greetings to Your Excellency - says the telegram signed by Francis - as I fly over  your nation on my return from the Philippines to the Vatican. I assure you of my prayers for you and for all the people of China, invoking upon you abundant blessings of harmony and prosperity".

It is still unknown whether there was any response from Xi Jinping. During the last papal visit to Korea, it seems that the first telegram did not arrive while the second was "noted" by the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

At the time Chinese media gave discrete coverage to the Pope's presence in the Far East.

This time round however, Xinhua completely ignored yesterday's concluding Mass, which was attended by up to 6 million people, or the 30 thousand who took part in the meeting with young people in Manila, or the gathering in Tacloban with 150 thousand survivors of Typhoon Yolanda.

Instead, Xinhua concentrated on publishing bad news stories relating to the Philippines, to coincide with the papal visit: "Over 2,000 families evacuated in C. Philippines due to storm..." (18.01.2015); "Seven hurt after plane overshoots in C. Philippines..." (17.01.2015). Only one article quotes the words of the Pope on corruption.

The "People's Daily" has also remained silent on the papal visit. The "Global Times", linked to the "People's Daily", instead published editorials and photos of the masses and meetings of the pontiff, but almost all taken from France Press.

Instead, Francis' visit to Sri Lanka had better coverage on Xinhua, with several articles about the Pope's gestures and messages.

 

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Pope talks about the Middle East, the Holy Land and the food crisis with Bush
13/06/2008
A "saddened" Pope prays for victims of typhoon Durian
01/12/2006
The Pope flies over China: I invoke the Divine blessing of peace and well-being on nation
14/08/2014
Pope expresses his closeness to the victims of the 'savage attack' in Nice
29/10/2020 16:11
Pope: with Mandela, a nation built on the foundations of non-violence, truth and reconciliation
06/12/2013


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”