01/14/2023, 14.45
TAIWAN – VATICAN
Send to a friend

Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen praises Pope Benedict XVI’s humanity

Taiwan’s president visits the Apostolic Nunciature; for her, the pope emeritus will always have a “place in all our hearts”. The Holy See is one of 14 states with which the island has formal diplomatic relations. Tsai hopes that “the longstanding friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican [will] remain firm and enduring.”

Taipei (AsiaNews) – Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited the Apostolic Nunciature in Taipei to offer her condolences to the Holy See for the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on 31 December 2022.

“May the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose humanity has a constant place in all our hearts, rest in eternal peace,” she wrote in the Book of Condolences.

According to a press statement from the Presidential Office, Ms Tsai met with Rev Mgr Stefano Mazzotti, chargé d'affaires ad interim  of the Holy See, along with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

On 5 January, former Vice President Chen Chien-jen, a devout Catholic, attended Benedict XVI's funeral as Tsai's representative.

The Vatican is one of 14 states with which Taiwan has formal diplomatic relations (with exchange of ambassadors), the only one in Europe.

The island is claimed by communist China, which considers it a "rebel province", to be taken, by force if necessary.

China opposes granting Taiwan a place in international for a and organisations and demands that other governments have no relations of any kind with Taiwanese authorities.

It is no coincidence that in the message left at the Nunciature, Tsai also said: “may the longstanding friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican remain firm and enduring.”

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
Tsai Ing-wen: I will make Taiwan indispensable to the world
10/10/2018 10:11
Tsai Ing-wen and Xi Jinping celebrate Lunar New Year differently
16/02/2018 15:01
New Fu Jen university hospital opened
30/09/2017 11:16
The Patriotic Association: Prayer of suffrage for Benedict XVI
02/01/2023 09:05


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”