Taiwan's foreign ministry denied reports yesterday that the Vatican is ready to switch diplomatic recognition to China.
The denials were sparked by a report in the French newspaper Le Figaro yesterday, which claimed the Holy See and Beijing have begun negotiating the exact wording of a communique which would formally establish diplomatic relations between the two states.
Under the terms of Beijing's "one China" policy, any state that wishes to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC must first sever such ties with Taiwan.
"There is a great disparity between the report and what was conveyed to us by Vatican officials and our ambassador to the Holy See," said foreign minister Chen Chien-jen (
The French report adds more fuel to existing speculation as to the Vatican's possible shift of ties that arose earlier this year.
Media reports out of Hong Kong have claimed that the Chinese government is pushing for the switch by the end of this year.
"I guarantee this is not a Christmas gift," Chen said, replying to reporters' question on whether the switch is a holiday gift from the Holy See to PRC Catholics.
Foreign ministry officials conceded that while Taiwan has little influence over whether the Vatican would sever ties with the island, "it should not happen in the short term."
The Le Figaro report claimed the Vatican is waiting for China to formally issue an invitation to the ailing Pope John Paul II, who has said that he would like to forge diplomatic ties with Beijing during his pontificate.
However, the article also said that there are serious disagreements between Beijing and the Vatican, especially over the issue of who has the authority to appoint cardinals in China.
Beijing has refused to recognize the Pope as the spiritual leader of the PRC's Catholics and Roman Catholic churches in China have been placed under the state-controlled Patriotic Catholic Association since the 1950s.
This has driven an estimated 10 million Catholics underground, creating a shadow church which is still loyal to the Vatican.
The Le Figaro article claimed that Cardinal Claudio Celli, the Vatican's leading negotiator, has reached an understanding with Beijing that the Vatican would sever ties with Taiwan and define its parish here as a "region" rather than a "state." That report supports a South China Morning Post article last week which said more than 20 meetings have been held between the two parties in the last year.
The Holy See and Beijing apparently have reached an agreement on creating a Vietnam-style Catholic Church -- in which a unified church is led by bishops and one or more cardinals approved by the Vatican.
However, Le Figaro also said the conservative elements on both sides are opposed to establishing diplomatic ties.
Opponents in the Vatican, are unwilling to forge ties with a communist regime while conservatives in Beijing views religion as a threat to Communist doctrine.
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