Hong Kong's bishop, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic on Chinese soil, said yesterday the church won't lose many followers in Taiwan when the Vatican eventually cuts formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and recognizes rival China.
The outspoken Bishop Joseph Zen (
China forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the Vatican shortly after the Communists took power. Worship is now allowed only in government-controlled churches, which recognize the pope as a spiritual leader but appoints its own priests and bishops.
Zen added that before the Vatican can have diplomatic ties with Beijing, the church must also sever relations with Taiwan. Countries that want official ties with Beijing must break off formal relations with Taiwan.
The Hong Kong religious leader said the Vatican is eager to recognize China but negotiations are ongoing. He added that cutting official ties with Taiwan would be unpleasant.
"The Holy See has never unilaterally abandoned a friend," he said during a speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong.
Church officials "will have a lot of explaining to do to the people of Taiwan," he said.
But Zen added that Taiwanese Catholics will understand the importance of having formal ties with China.
"The Holy See is sure there will be no drastic change in Taiwan," he said.
"There may be some difficulty to communicate with the people about the change, but it's going to happen. People are ready for that," Zen said.
Losing the Vatican would be a big blow to Taiwan because the Holy See is the nation's only diplomatic ally in Europe.
Taiwan only has official relations with 26 nations, most of them small, impoverished countries in Africa, Latin America and the Pacific.
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