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.

[Axure]

To clarify: In pectore means that the identity of the cardinal is kept by the pope in his heart - and so not revealed publically. In the lately famous case the cardinal was not revealed by the pope, and surely it must have been done on purpose, since the pope died in full consciousness and aware of incoming death. And so, there's no Chinese cardinal.

I strongly support the Taiwan's right to take part in the funeral ceremony. And I have no positive feelings towards China, as they are a bandit country persecuting religions, opressing own citizens and wrongdoing to other nations [Taiwan, Tibet and others].

Unfortunatelly, I have to disagree with previous opinions considering Chinese pope. The head of the Catholic Church cannot be chosen due to any political reasons (even if in good intention) but due to his talents and abilities to perform this extremally important and responsible task.

[NZerFromHK]

In a sense you could call Taiwan the rump pre-1949 government of China, but even the Taiwanese won't say like that except paleo-KMT or retired officials these days.

[JockoManning]

Quix, here's a ping for you.

JM

[JockoManning]

LOL. Quix, here's a ping for you.

JM.

[Quix]

Actually, Beijing is brazen enough to dare whatever it feels is important and can remotely get away with--with even a significant PORTION of it's population left alive.

They probably feel they could afford to lose a billion people and still be king of the world's hill.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I didn't know there was 1.2 Billion Catholics in the world.
What is the most accurate figure of Christians world wide ?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Yes,, GOOD !!

[crowman]

I think the PRC will boil over this and the results could astound us all... They hated John Paul and Taiwan going to the funeral might push them over the edge...

Also, aren't there "Minutemaidens" ???

[olde north church]

Add 1 billion muslims into the anti-China mix. We don't get to read too much about the wars in the western parts of China near Afghan/Pakistan/Kazakstan and the northern border with islamic Russia.

[FreeReign]

Anti-Italian riots soon to break out in Chengdu??

[Aussie Dasher]

Three cheers for Italy and the Vatican!

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Snapshot : Planet Earth April 8th, 2005.

That old guy Isaiah anyone ?

"Nation shall not lift up sword against nation..."

[skybolt]

Perhaps you could well be right.

My limited laypesron opinion.. something about all this.
I would like to put $ on Taiwan and ante up more for the fracture of PRC.

Of course its real life for them and in some way will be for us too no matter what the outcome.

[mjtobias]

You hit it!

[mjtobias]

"Any word on whether it was announced that the Holy Father secretly installed a Cardinal from China???"

That would be the in pectore Cardinal.

I'd love it to be a Chinese. Perhaps Chinese would not have to pray in state-approved churches.

[mjtobias]

"There is 1.2 ( a big B ) BILLION Christians around the world, go ahead ! , make our day !"

1.2 billions are Catholics. If you include Protestants, Orthodox and the other denominations, it's more like 2 billions. I could be wrong on these numbers, so please correct me if anyone has up-to-date figures.

[trickyricky]

Yes, and other than the Vatican, so is the rest of the world.
In fact, it is official US policy to work toward a reunion between Taipei and Beijing.

It's a gutless policy of appeasement, and a way to allow Communist China to save face.
Taiwan is a free nation, that's a fact.
We don't want another Asian war, especially with Communist China.
Where would we get all of our slave labor?
A war with Communist China could collapse our economy.
So we're between a rock and a hard place.
We could turn tail and run like with Vietnam, and let the Commies overrun Taiwan,
but that would embolden North Korea, scare the crap out of Japan, etc.

[Military family member]

I agree with you, but few countries recognize it as so. I am not sure the US stance on this.

[color_tear]

This should be a wake up call to the world!
PRC does NOT allow religious freedom. For those support PRC also support NO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, that includes our good O USA.

Go Vatican and Italy !!!!