Taiwan’s vice-president to visit Vatican amid signs Beijing and Holy See drawing closer
Chen Chien-jen will visit the island’s sole European ally next week, although foreign ministry insists ties are stable
Taiwan will send its first envoy in three years to visit the Vatican – it’s sole ally in Europe – in a bid to cement ties as signs grow that Beijing and the Holy See are working towards resuming relations.
Taiwanese Vice-President Chen Chien-jen, a Catholic who has long had ties with the Vatican, would leave next week for the canonisation of Mother Teresa and meet senior officials, attend a mass and visit Assisi, birthplace of St Francis, during a six-day visit, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
“We share the same values with the Holy See based on religious freedom and human rights. Our relations with the Holy See are very stable and there’s no problem looking from now to the future,” deputy foreign minister Wu Chih-chung said, when announcing the trip.
Mainland still sees self-ruling Taiwan as part of its territory and demands that allies of Beijing must renege any official ties with the island.
Vatican is taking ‘new approach to China’
There was a truce in the battle for friends under previous Beijing-friendly president Ma Ying-jeou.
But former Taiwan ally Gambia established ties with Beijing, two months after mainland-sceptic Tsai Ing-wen was elected president in January. There is speculation that Panama might follow suit.