Pope Francis yesterday managed an airborne diplomatic dance by sending telegrams of greetings to the leaders of Taiwan, China and Hong Kong as he flew through their airspace on his way from Thailand to Japan.
Francis made sure not to offend Beijing in the telegrams, making no mention of the Vatican’s continued diplomatic relations with Taiwan or the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, now in their sixth month, although he did appeal for “well-being and peace” in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Papal protocol requires that these telegrams be sent, and Francis has used them in the past to reach out to the Chinese government, which severed relations with the Holy See more than five decades ago.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Vatican Media Handout
Francis has been eager to unite China’s official and “underground” Catholic churches, and the Vatican and China last year penned an accord over bishop nominations meant to heal the rift.
The first greeting went out to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) as Francis’ charter flight flew near Hainan Island.
“I send cordial greetings to your excellency as I fly over China on my way to Japan,” Francis wrote. “I assure you of my prayers for the nation and its people, invoking upon all of you abundant blessings of peace and joy.”
Francis followed up with a telegram to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥).
“As I fly over your territory I extend my best wishes to your excellency and your fellow citizens,” he wrote. “Invoking divine blessings, I pray that almighty God may grant you all well-being and peace.”
Finally, Francis flew over Taiwan and in the greetings to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Francis said he sent “cordial greetings.”
“Assuring you of my prayers for all the people of Taiwan, I invoke abundant divine blessings of peace,” he said.
The pope’s plane landed in the rain in Tokyo, where he received a small welcome at the airport before heading to the Vatican residence to meet with Japanese bishops.
Streets near the residence were lined with smiling well-wishers holding umbrellas. One group held a banner that read: “Gracias! We love you.”
After a packed three days in Thailand, Francis has an even busier schedule in Japan, starting off with flights today to Nagasaki and Hiroshima to appeal for total nuclear disarmament, and a meeting tomorrow with survivors of the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster.
CROSS-STRAIT COLLABORATION: The new KMT chairwoman expressed interest in meeting the Chinese president from the start, but she’ll have to pay to get in Beijing allegedly agreed to let Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) around the Lunar New Year holiday next year on three conditions, including that the KMT block Taiwan’s arms purchases, a source said yesterday. Cheng has expressed interest in meeting Xi since she won the KMT’s chairmanship election in October. A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a consensus on a meeting was allegedly reached after two KMT vice chairmen visited China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Director Song Tao (宋濤) in China last month. Beijing allegedly gave the KMT three conditions it had to
STAYING ALERT: China this week deployed its largest maritime show of force to date in the region, prompting concern in Taipei and Tokyo, which Beijing has brushed off Deterring conflict over Taiwan is a priority, the White House said in its National Security Strategy published yesterday, which also called on Japan and South Korea to increase their defense spending to help protect the first island chain. Taiwan is strategically positioned between Northeast and Southeast Asia, and provides direct access to the second island chain, with one-third of global shipping passing through the South China Sea, the report said. Given the implications for the US economy, along with Taiwan’s dominance in semiconductors, “deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority,” it said. However, the strategy also reiterated
‘BALANCE OF POWER’: Hegseth said that the US did not want to ‘strangle’ China, but to ensure that none of Washington’s allies would be vulnerable to military aggression Washington has no intention of changing the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, adding that one of the US military’s main priorities is to deter China “through strength, not through confrontation.” Speaking at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Hegseth outlined the US Department of Defense’s priorities under US President Donald Trump. “First, defending the US homeland and our hemisphere. Second, deterring China through strength, not confrontation. Third, increased burden sharing for us, allies and partners. And fourth, supercharging the US defense industrial base,” he said. US-China relations under
The Chien Feng IV (勁蜂, Mighty Hornet) loitering munition is on track to enter flight tests next month in connection with potential adoption by Taiwanese and US armed forces, a government source said yesterday. The kamikaze drone, which boasts a range of 1,000km, debuted at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in September, the official said on condition of anonymity. The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and US-based Kratos Defense jointly developed the platform by leveraging the engine and airframe of the latter’s MQM-178 Firejet target drone, they said. The uncrewed aerial vehicle is designed to utilize an artificial intelligence computer
RSS