Robert Francis Prevost (2nd L) addresses the crowd after being elected the new pope in Vatican City, on May 8, 2025. Robert Francis Prevost, the cardinal of the United States, was elected the new pope on the second day of secret ballots in the cardinals' conclave held in Vatican City. The name he chose as the new pope was Leo XIV. (Photo: Xinhua)

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that we congratulate Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as the new pope. 

When asked to comment on the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV and China's hopes for engagement with the Vatican during the new papacy, Lin, at the regular press conference on Friday, said that "we hope that under the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican will continue to have dialogue with China in a constructive spirit, have in-depth communication on international issues of mutual interest, jointly advance the continuous improvement of the China-Vatican relations and make contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity." 

Robert Francis Prevost, the cardinal of the US, was elected the new pope on the second day of secret ballots in the cardinals' conclave held in Vatican City. The name he chose as the new pope was Leo XIV, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church in China on Friday congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election as the new pope, according to Xinhua. 

Prevost was born in Chicago, but within the Vatican, where he eventually lived and served, he was regarded as the "least American" of the US cardinals, CNN said. 

He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and was later appointed bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023, according to CNN. 

CNN noted that the new Pope speaks fluent Spanish and Italian - both of which he displayed during his first address to the public in St. Peter's Square.

On Thursday, the new Pope appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and delivered a short speech, the US media NPR reported. His opening words were "Peace be with all of you!" according to the US media report. 

Leo is known to share some of the same priorities as his predecessor Francis, particularly when it comes to the environment and outreach to migrants and the poor, NPR said, noting that on his social media account, he has recently posted and reposted content critical of US President Donald Trump's immigration approach and of US Vice President JD Vance's views on religion.

Trump congratulated Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost after his election as the first American-born pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, calling it "such an honor' to realize that he is the first American Pope, CNBC reported on Thursday. 

The selection of a US-born pope could have profound impact on the future of the US Catholic Church, which has been sharply divided between conservatives and progressives, the AP News said. 

Global Times