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Taiwan
ChinaDiplomacy

Taiwan sends special envoy to beatification of former pope John Paul I

  • Chen Chien-je, a former vice-president, will attend the ceremony to highlight ‘the close friendship’ between Taiwan and the Vatican
  • The Vatican is one of a handful of countries with formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, but has tried to improve relations with Beijing under Pope Francis

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Hundreds of chairs are lined up in St Peter’s Square ahead of Sunday’s beatification ceremony for John Paul I. Photo: AP
Reuters

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has sent a special envoy to attend this weekend’s beatification of former pope John Paul I, saying it demonstrates the close relations between the island and the Vatican.

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The Vatican is Taiwan’s sole European diplomatic ally, and Taipei has watched with concern as Pope Francis has moved to improve relations with Beijing. The democratically governed island has formal ties with only 14 countries, largely due to pressure from Beijing.

In a statement late on Friday, Taiwan’s presidential office said former vice-president Chen Chien-jen, a practising Catholic, would attend Sunday’s ceremony as part of a nine-day trip.

The visit “demonstrates the close friendship between the two countries,” it said. Chen will also take part in a reception with the pope for members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, it added.

Tsai expressed hope that Chen would “continue to deepen the friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican, and continue to protect the shared belief in universal values between Taiwan and the Vatican”.

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He went to the Vatican three times while in office, in 2016, 2018 and 2019, including attending the canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa.

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