In rare trip, Taiwan's president headed to Vatican(Vatican and Italy defying China)

Boston Globe ^ | 04/07/05 | Annie Huang

[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.

[NYer]

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

[Pyro7480]

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

[AmericanInTokyo]

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.

[SaltyJoe]

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).

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #63

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

[AmericanInTokyo]

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.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #66

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

[JohnnyZ]

If Chen ever gets shot but still survive

Very funny, TLR ....

[winner3000]

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

[Paul_Denton]

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.

[Paul_Denton]

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.

[rahbert]

Could Karl Rove become Pope?

[Almondjoy]

God bypasses all politics.

[StAnDeliver]

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.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

BTTT!

BRAVO Taiwan!

[Gucho]

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.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"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.

[Smogger]

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.

[Libertina]

Go Taiwan Go!

[ALWAYSWELDING]

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.