Visit of the Taiwanese president to the Apostolic Nunciature: “She will always have a place in all our hearts”. The Holy See is one of the 14 states with which the island maintains formal diplomatic relations. Tsai hopes that “the long-standing friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican will remain firm and lasting.”
Taipei () – “Rest in eternal peace to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose humanity will always have a place in all our hearts.” With these words, Tsai Ing-wen paid tribute yesterday to Joseph Ratzinger, who passed away on December 31.
The Taiwanese president offered her condolences during a visit to the Apostolic Nunciature in the capital. According to a note from the Press Office, Tsai met with Msgr. Stefano Mazzotti, charge d’affaires (ad interim) of the Holy See, in the company of Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
On January 5, former Vice President Chen Chien-jen, a devout Catholic, attended Benedict XVI’s funeral as Tsai’s envoy.
The Vatican is one of the 14 states with which Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic relations (with exchange of ambassadors), the only one in Europe. The island is claimed by communist China, which considers it a “rogue province”, which it must reconquer even by force if necessary. Beijing boycotts Taipei’s participation in international forums and organizations and demands that other governments not maintain relations of any kind with the Taiwanese authorities.
It is no coincidence that in the message she left at the Vatican Nunciature, Tsai also expressed the wish that “the long friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican remain firm and lasting.”