Taiwan President to Visit Pope in Vatican Despite China's Protest NTDonChina

Despite stern warnings from the Chinese Communist Party, the Vatican and the new Pope Francis will continue to maintain relations with Taiwan.

Earlier today (March 15), Taiwan's Foreign Ministry announced that Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou would head a five-person delegation to attend the Pope's inauguration ceremony. Pope Francis will officially assume the papacy on March 19.

[Vanessa Shih, Taiwan Vice Foreign Minister]
"The Holy See is our diplomatic ally, and the President, as the head of a diplomatic ally, is leading a delegation to attend another diplomatic ally's inauguration of the new pope. It is in accordance with the current diplomatic situation and friendship between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Vatican, and this is normal international courtesy and interaction between two diplomatic allies."

That won't be pleasing Beijing, however. China's Communist authorities view Taiwan as a breakaway province and have scoffed at any foreign nation viewing it otherwise.

Most recently, a Chinese ambassador refused to attend a Japanese memorial honoring the lives lost in 2011's devastating earthquake and tsunami because a Taiwanese representative would be there.

Pope Francis will be walking into an already tense relationship with China. The Vatican and the Chinese regime have been locked in conflict over who is the ultimate authority for China's 12 million Catholics—the Pope, or the officially atheist Communist Party.

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Taiwan President to Visit Pope in Vatican Despite China's Protest
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News & Politics	Upload TimePublished on 15 Mar 2013
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