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In rare trip, Taiwan's president headed to Vatican(Vatican and Italy defying China)
Boston Globe ^ | 04/07/05 | Annie Huang

Posted on 04/07/2005 12:51:39 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

In rare trip, Taiwan's president headed to Vatican

By Annie Huang, Associated Press | April 7, 2005

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's leader will make an unprecedented visit to the Vatican to attend Pope John Paul II's funeral, the government said yesterday, in a move that would likely irk rival China.

President Chen Shui-bian will attend the pope's funeral tomorrow, the Foreign Ministry said. It will be the first trip to Europe by a Taiwanese president, who rarely make foreign visits because of China's objections.

The Vatican is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe.

But under pressure from Beijing, Italy had refused to issue visas to Taiwan's presidents in the past.

Michel Lu, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Chen will depart for Rome today. Italy issued Chen a visa and will accord him with protocols reserved for heads of state, Lu said.

''He will take a China Airlines charter flight to Rome . . . and will return to Taipei" after the funeral, he said.

Beijing is expected to lodge a strong protest against Chen's visit with Italy. China considers Taiwan a part of its own territory and has barred the island's leaders from taking part in international events.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cary; chensuibian; china; foreignleaders; funeral; johnpaulii; pope; taiwan
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To: TigerLikesRooster; american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; ...
The Vatican is Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe.

God bless them!

In related news ....


U.S. first lady Laura Bush is given a tour of St. John at the Lateran Church in Rome by art historian Dr. Stefano Aluffi-Tentini, in Rome, April 7, 2005. The White House reaffirmed its regrets over the death of an Italian secret service agent shot by U.S. forces in Iraq, as President Bush held talks with Italian President Ciampi on Thursday. Bush, in Rome to attend Friday's funeral of Pope John Paul, met Ciampi for more than half an hour and the White House said they discussed developments in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. REUTERS/White House/Krisanne Johnson/Handout

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


61 posted on 04/07/2005 8:43:56 AM PDT by NYer ("America needs much prayer, lest it lose its soul." John Paul II)
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To: NYer

Someday, I've get to see what's Laura's appreciating in that pic...


62 posted on 04/07/2005 8:46:03 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - Tolkien)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Good! We need people to stand up to China, just as JPII stood up to Poland (Jaruzelski) and his Kremlin masters...and the whole thing came crumbling down.

Good for President Chen.

Down with Red Chinese hegemony and war mongering.

They don't want to risk losing the Beijing Olympics. There is no better time for Taiwan to start making the independent movements than NOW, while the WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING.

63 posted on 04/07/2005 9:03:32 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (**AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS NOT SO MUCH "WHO" WE STAND FOR, BUT RATHER "WHAT" WE STAND FOR**)
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To: nickcarraway
Many European nations, ever before the present anti-Catholic age, have a long and disturbing history of trying to manipulate Vatican politics. Italy is one of those nations that hasn't always been friendly to Catholicism (Italians are devout, but some of their past leaders were very anti-Catholic).
64 posted on 04/07/2005 9:04:26 AM PDT by SaltyJoe (stay in a State of Grace)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Re #63

It is true that tide is turning for Taiwan now. If Taiwan skillfully maneuver politically, they could achieve a lot.

65 posted on 04/07/2005 9:10:54 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Beijing won't like this one bit.

But, how can they stand up to the Vatican and it's 1.2 billion people, and world opinion captivated in that regard over any fancy antics Beijing would try to pull on Taiwan? Agreed. Very good timing. Excellent timing. The Whole World is Watching.

This is a GREAT slap in the face, after the dictatorship in Beijing voted something like 99.5% to 0, last month, to make any independence by Taiwan away from Beijing a 'criminal act' under PRC law.

Their PRC law is not worth the toilet paper it would be written on.

Chen ought to bring a lot of bodyguards to Rome. He only look to the Pope's own history in that regard, and what tyrannical power will do when somebody they don't like is on the world stage in a positive light.

66 posted on 04/07/2005 9:19:59 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (**AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS NOT SO MUCH "WHO" WE STAND FOR, BUT RATHER "WHAT" WE STAND FOR**)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Re #66

If Chen ever gets shot but still survive (as John Paul II did), Chen can milk it for the next decade.:)

67 posted on 04/07/2005 9:39:04 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
If Chen ever gets shot but still survive

Very funny, TLR ....

68 posted on 04/07/2005 9:52:58 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (“When you’re hungry, you eat; when you’re a frog, you leap; if you’re scared, get a dog.”)
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To: flaglady47

It's unfortunate that things don't look good for Berlusconi. There way too many Italian socialists.


69 posted on 04/07/2005 9:57:31 AM PDT by winner3000 (part)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
China Airlines is a Taiwan's main carrier.

Yep. President Chen is working hard to make it Taiwan Airlines, along woth every other company named "China" in Taiwan.

70 posted on 04/07/2005 10:56:31 AM PDT by Paul_Denton (Get the UN out of the US and US out of the UN!)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
They don't want to risk losing the Beijing Olympics. There is no better time for Taiwan to start making the independent movements than NOW, while the WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING.

I agree.

71 posted on 04/07/2005 10:57:42 AM PDT by Paul_Denton (Get the UN out of the US and US out of the UN!)
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To: jriemer

Could Karl Rove become Pope?


72 posted on 04/07/2005 11:11:46 AM PDT by rahbert
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To: TigerLikesRooster

God bypasses all politics.


73 posted on 04/07/2005 11:18:17 AM PDT by Almondjoy
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Taiwan pays good money to US PR firms -- it's absolutely inexcusable that President Chen has not made the rounds on Fox to argue his case. This is one area where Murdoch's chumminess with the PLC, just for satellite hegemony, is hurting his core constituency.


74 posted on 04/07/2005 12:24:36 PM PDT by StAnDeliver
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To: TigerLikesRooster

BTTT!

BRAVO Taiwan!


75 posted on 04/07/2005 1:00:25 PM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance (ATTN. MARXIST RED MSM: I RESENT your "RED STATE" switcheroo using our ELECTORAL MAP as PROPAGANDA!)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Beijing is expected to lodge a strong protest against Chen's visit with Italy. China considers Taiwan a part of its own territory and has barred the island's leaders from taking part in international events.


Beijing is still in the dark ages with human rights and freedom.
76 posted on 04/07/2005 1:05:14 PM PDT by Gucho
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To: AmericanInTokyo

"Down with Red Chinese hegemony and war mongering.

They don't want to risk losing the Beijing Olympics. There is no better time for Taiwan to start making the independent movements than NOW, while the WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING."


ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! Tiananmen's tanks would not dare to "roll over the dead Pope's body" while the Bush Doctrine itself is on a roll of its own.



77 posted on 04/07/2005 1:19:11 PM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance (ATTN. MARXIST RED MSM: I RESENT your "RED STATE" switcheroo using our ELECTORAL MAP as PROPAGANDA!)
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To: kevkrom
If the College of Cardinals really wanted to be bold, and send a message on the scale that they did with John Paul II, they should seriously consider looking toward elevating a Chinese (either from the mainland or from Taiwan) Bishop/Cardinal to be JPII's successor. If you think inviting the Taiwanese President would p*** of China, think of what a Chinese Pope would do to their psyche...

In fact one of the Cardinal's JPII appointed was appointed or in pectore--meaning meaning "in the breast." The formula has been used when a pope wants to name a cardinal in a country where the church is oppressed, leading to speculation that it could be a prelate from China, where only a state-sanctioned church is recognized.

78 posted on 04/07/2005 1:19:28 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Go Taiwan Go!


79 posted on 04/07/2005 1:36:46 PM PDT by Libertina (God's gift of life is precious at all ages, from birth to death.)
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To: Libertina

I'm sick of everyone dancing around China. Bout time someone gave them the finger and did the right thing. All this cuddling and sucking up to China has been making me ill.


80 posted on 04/07/2005 2:38:07 PM PDT by ALWAYSWELDING
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