The fact that China still violates human rights should not prevent other countries from trying to have diplomatic relationships with China. On the contrary, there is all the more need for Chinese to have the support of the international community in their struggle for respect of their basic rights.
Your main criticism of the Vatican is its concern for the number of souls, which you compare to the concern of other countries to the money they would get through their relationship with China. You attribute to selfish interest that which is only common sense: China does exist.
I hope that all countries will be able to have diplomatic relationships with both China and Taiwan. Countries can have embassies in both North and South Korea, as before they could in West and East Germany. It is not the fault of other countries to be forced to choose between Taiwan and China.
I hope that China and Taiwan will be able to solve their mutual problems in a way that allows all Chinese and Taiwanese to be represented in the international community. This sounds impossible now, but for God nothing is impossible.
Regarding the concern of "abandoning Taiwan," many countries moved their embassies to Beijing but did not abandon Taiwan. If the Holy See eventually decides to move its embassy from Taipei to Beijing, that would not mean that the Vatican is abandoning Taiwan. The Vatican would find a suitable way to represent it.
Furthermore, the Catholic Church will continue serving the people in Taiwan in the same way: The faithful, religious sisters and brothers, priests and bishops will not leave. The situation would be as in all other religions, which can be present on both sides of the Taiwan Strait without any problem. Nobody accuses the Protestant churches of abandoning Taiwan or dealing with the devil because they have a presence in China.
I love the Catholic Church and I also love Taiwan. I suffer with this choice that the Vatican and all foreign countries are forced -- against their will -- to make between Taiwan and China.
I am sure that the leaders of the Catholic Church in Taiwan feel this pain more than me and will do their best to protect the interests of the Taiwanese.
I also hope your newspaper will be more respectful toward the Catholic community in Taiwan and toward the Holy See, both of whom are caught in this difficult dilemma.
Sergio Edwards SVD (Divine Word Missionaries)
Chiayi<
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