Vatican diplomat expresses hope for normalizing relations with China

Published: 2007-03-13

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's top diplomat at the United Nations said the Vatican wants to normalize relations with China, which it sees as a major way of advancing religious freedom and fostering unity among Chinese Catholics. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's U.N. nuncio, expressed hope that a papal letter to Chinese Catholics to be released around Easter will be seen as proof of the Vatican's good will and pave the way for Vatican talks with Chinese officials that could lead to diplomatic relations and resolution of differences over the church's status in the Asian nation. Other church officials have said that the letter will be translated into Chinese and sent to the Chinese government several days before its publication. "We have never severed our ties with the Chinese people," said Archbishop Migliore, at a March 2 news conference before giving a speech at St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus. At the same time, he said, the Vatican is hoping that a formula can be found to maintain ties with Taiwan while opening diplomatic relations with China. The Chinese government has required severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan as a prerequisite for establishing diplomatic relations with the Vatican. "We are ready to go back to Beijing without abandoning Taiwan," the archbishop said, without specifying whether future contacts with Taiwan would include diplomatic relations. Archbishop Migliore said the Vatican's main differences with China involve continued recognition of Taiwan, freedom to worship and appointment of bishops.

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