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_WORLD WATCH______________________________
______________________China____________________
Diplomatic relations
with the Holy See?
Published report predicts a breakthrough
A Hong Kong magazine reported in
late September that the Vatican and Communist China are prepared to etablish
diplomatic relations. The report appeared to catch Vatican officials by
surprise, and there was no confirmation from Rome even after the story became
public.
The Far Eastern Economic Review said that the Vatican and China would hold a series of meetings in upcoming weeks to end the impasse over the role of the Catholic Church in China. “In the event of mutual diplomatic recognition, the Vatican would be obliged to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan,” the magazine reported. “It would also weaken the stance of half a dozen predominantly Catholic countries in Central America that maintain ties with Taiwan.”
Quoting anonymous diplomatic and ecclesiastical sources, the magazine said the process would begin on October 14 when Catholic scholars from around the world gathered in Beijing for a conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the start of Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci’s mission to China in 1601. The Far Eastern Economic Review said that a different ceremony would take place in Rome later in October, at which Pope John Paul would offer some form of apology for historical wrongdoing by the Catholics in China. “According to the schedule worked out by both sides, relations between the two states will be much improved by the end of next month,” the September issue of the magazine stated.
The Review added that the progress toward full diplomatic relations would be well advanced by October 20, when US President George W. Bush was due to begin a two-day visit to Beijing. “This would allow Beijing to deflect US criticism of its human rights record,” the magazine said.
The international crisis sparked by a
terrorist attack on the United States may have disrupted the schedule of events
predicted by the Far Eastern Economic Review. But three weeks after the
magazine’s report appeared, as CWR went to press, no Vatican official had
provided any reason to believe that the journal’s report was accurate.
Back to Catholic World Report
November 2001 Table of Contents