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