Posted on 04/06/2005 7:50:31 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
China could prevent Chen from going to the Pope's funeral
By Huang Tai-lin
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Apr 06, 2005,Page 3
It seems perfectly justified and reasonable for a head of state to pay tribute in person to the leader of its allies. But when it comes to Taiwan, it is more than just a matter of booking a hotel room and then hopping on a plane.
The problem is China.
"The usual obstruction from Beijing is most likely to be expected," said Thomas Hung (ºéïÐÛ), an international relations graduate research fellow at National Chengchi University.
The Holy See is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe. When President Chen Shui-bian (êË®±â) paid a visit to the Apostolic Nunciature (the Embassy of the Holy See) on Monday afternoon to offer condolences for the passing of Pope John Paul II, an invitation was extended to Chen by the charge d'affaires of the embassy, Monsignor Ambrose Madtha, to attend the papal funeral in person on behalf of Taiwan.
Should Chen really make a trip to the Vatican, it would be an unprecedented scene for him to rub shoulders with other world leaders, such as US President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and dozens of other world leaders who are expected to attend the papal funeral on Friday.
But to get to the Vatican, Chen would need to travel through Italy, which has diplomatic ties with China, not Taiwan.
"It should be a matter of course for President Chen to attend the funeral of a leader of one of Taiwan's allies," Hung said.
"Aside from diplomatic courtesy for the Vatican's continual supporte for Taiwan during the past decades under the leadership of the Pope, Chen by all reasons and sentiments should attend the pontiff's funeral in person out of respect for the Pope and his longtime effort in trumpeting the message of peace," Hung added.
China's incessant efforts to obstruct the president's visibility on the world stage is nothing new.
In 2001, Liberal International -- a London-based association of major liberal parties from more than 60 countries -- announced Chen would be the recipient of its "2001 Freedom Award" for his contributions to Taiwan's democratization and his "solid record as a human rights activist."
The organization originally planned to present the award to Chen in Copenhagen, but Denmark declined to issue Chen a visa under pressure from Beijing. The group then decided to change the venue to Strasbourg, but French authorities also refused to grant Chen a visa to enter the country.
It was only after first lady Wu Shu-jen (…ÇÊçÕä) flew to France to receive the award on behalf of her husband that the award could be delivered to Chen.
"This may be part of what former president Lee Teng-hui (ÀîµÇÝx) once called the tragedy of being Taiwanese," said Chin Heng-wei (½ðaŸ˜), political commentator and editor-in-chief of the Contemporary Magazine.
When Wu traveled to the Vatican in July 2003 to congratulate the Pope on the 25th anniversary of his inauguration, she had passed through Italy at which time the Italian government had given her good treatment, including granting her permission to land her charter plane at the military airport in Rome and to fly the ROC flag at the airport.
Some political analysis noted that Wu was not a government official.
"Italy should not block the entry of a guest invited by the Vatican," said Chin, adding that members of the international community should voice disapproval of China's effort to hamper Chen from paying a personal tribute to the late Pope.
Aside from the realities of international politics, other technical issues might prevent Chen from attending the funeral.
The funeral is expected to draw up to 2 million people to Rome. Demand for hotel rooms is expected to be so high that special camps have already been set up in some locations on the outskirts of the city to accommodate visitors who can't find rooms.
Ping!
Quite a contrast assuming Chen gets to go. You have China which oppresses the Catholic Church (they arrested another bishop and priest the other day) and Taiwan which counts the Vatican as an ally.
The Vatican should ban any officials from the PRC, who persecute the Church, from attending, in no uncertain terms.
Give "666" tattoo on the forehead of any incoming PRC officials.:)
I was talking to a friend of mine who is in the process of being ordained into the Orthodox Church. He spectulated that the mystery cardinal is Chinese and that he might be the next pope. Keep in mind what happened to the communist regime in Poland with a Polish pope.
I don't think there are enough Catholics in China as a percentage of population for it to work the same way as it did in Poland, so I have my doubts.
Personally, I would love for them to pick Cardinal Ortega from Cuba. Castro would have a heart attack.
Damned, filthy, evil, stinking, mentally deranged, demon-possessed Communists who spit on their ancestors' legacies with this sickening childish oppression.
The Chinese Communist Party leadership should rightfully face the same fate those bastards handed out to this girl:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1350794/posts
"After all how many divisions does the Pope have"
We'd find out if the Pope declared a Holy War. The resulting armed force would likely outnumber most major armies significantly at least in raw numbers.
I was being sarcastic, His Holiness with the force of conviction and his faithful were invaluable in bringing down communism.
<< I was talking to a friend of mine who is in the process of being ordained into the Orthodox Church. He spectulated that the mystery cardinal is Chinese and that he might be the next pope. Keep in mind what happened to the communist regime in Poland with a Polish pope. >>
Chinese Pope or not -- China's already more than two-hundred million Christians -- and growing -- have already seen to the writing on the wall insofar as any "future" is concerned for the Peking-based pack of psychopathologically-hesperophobic, terrorizing, colonizing, enslaving, mass-murdering, lying, looting, thieving gangster bastards that so grandiosely calls itself "china."
Less than two years from now "china's" financial meltdown is in chain reaction and less than ten years from now the Chinese Peoples [Probably no longer criminally occupying the more than two and a half million square miles of other Peoples lands, states, nations and sovereign territories presently so brutally occupied, colonized and ruled over by Peking's predatory pack] -- for the first time in the history of the Human Species -- have come up with a form of government acceptable to themselves AS a People -- and a constitution -- and hold China's FIRST-EVER FRee elections!
[Notwithstanding "china's" much-vaunted "five-thousand-years-of-'civilization!'"]
Oh there you are.
Long time no see :-D
"pack of psychopathologically-hesperophobic, terrorizing, colonizing, enslaving, mass-murdering, lying, looting, thieving gangster bastards that so grandiosely calls itself..... "
I thought those adjectives were reserved for India :P
<< I thought those adjectives were reserved for India :P >>
HeHeHe ...
Nope -- strictly for the manifestations of evil.
[My wife and I will be in India again soon -- where you at? -- Wanna nice hot curry or two -- or six -- some thoesai, some nan, chutney and chai? [Drool drool] My treat!]
Your are most welcome anytime.
I live in Pune. (Its about 150km from Bombay)
Do let me know if you are planning to come down to Pune.
Ah-Hah - Bombay! Home of my favorite hotel on Earth! The Taj Mahal Palace Bombay! I've been to Pune, too. Maybe I've passed you in the street.
This time we're off to Calcutta/Darjeeling -- but we'll be in Bombay before long -- and I most certainly look forward to meeting you!
And to buying you dinner!
Blessings -- Brian
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