Could Pope Francis meet Xi Jinping in Kazakhstan next week?

Xi has come under mounting international condemnation for China’s brutal persecution of Uyghur  Muslims in the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang. 

The United Nations published a report on Sept. 1 that documented “serious human rights violations” in Xinjiang, including patterns of torture, detention, and sexual violence against the religious minority in China. 

Kazakhstan would be Xi’s first official trip outside of China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in which he oversaw the world’s strictest lockdowns. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Xi’s trip to Central Asia could also include a meeting in Uzbekistan with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Taiwanese visit to the Vatican

One day before the news of Xi’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan was made public, the former vice president of Taiwan met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. 

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said that the former VP, Chen Chien-jen, was at the beatification of John Paul I on Sept. 4…