Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) is set to embark on his second state visit early next month, this time to the Vatican, the nation’s only European diplomatic ally, where he is scheduled to attend the canonization of Mother Teresa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Chih-chung (吳志中) told a news conference at the Presidential Office Building that Chen is to lead a delegation, including Chen’s wife and Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Tseng Hou-jen (曾厚仁), on a six-day visit to the Holy See from Friday next week to Sept. 8.
DIPLOMACY
“The Vatican is to canonize Mother Teresa as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church on Sept. 4. Given the Republic of China’s 74-year friendship with the Holy See, both sides’ extensive cooperation and interactions… President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) designated Chen, a devout Catholic, as the government’s special envoy to the ceremony,” Wu said.
Wu said Chen is to represent the government, its people and the nation’s Catholic’s to extend their congratulations to Pope Francis.
Chen was made a knight of the Vatican-based Order of the Holy Sepulchre in 2010 and a knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great in 2013 in recognition of his efforts to fight SARS and his academic achievements, Wu said.
In addition to attending the canonization, Chen is to meet with high-ranking Vatican clergy, dine with Vatican-based Taiwanese clerics and compatriots and inspect the Republic of China embassy in the Holy Sea and the representative office in Italy, Wu said.
FREEDOMS
The vice president also plans to visit the town of Assisi and arrange a Mass for peace, Wu added.
“We believe that Chen’s visit would further the nation’s friendship and interaction with the Holy See,” Wu said.
Shrugging off periodic speculation that the Vatican is planning to become an ally of Beijing, Wu said the government is not opposed to a dialogue between the Holy See and China and deem them as normal and ordinary.
“Taiwan and the Holy See share many similar values… Even though the Vatican and Vietnam had long reached a consensus on the appointment of bishops in 2005, the two nations have yet to establish diplomatic ties,” Wu said.
Wu said the ministry’s priority is to engage in cooperation with the Vatican in the areas of religious freedom and human rights.
Chen concluded his first state visit, to the Dominican Republic, on Saturday last week.
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