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TAIWAN
Papal visit to Taiwan?
President express hope for trip
President Chen Shui-bian expressed his hope during a meeting with Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi of Kaohsiung that Pope John Paul II could visit the country. Chen said he looked forward to meeting the Pope to discuss religion, human rights, and Communist China. Only two European nations, including the Holy See, recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation, even though mainland China insists all countries regard it as a renegade province.
China has insisted that the Vatican sever all ties with Taiwan before any normalization of relations can take place, including allowing official contacts between the Vatican and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which eschews any connections to the Vatican or the Pope.
Taiwan’s new Foreign Minister Tien Hung-mao visited the Holy See in June and met top Vatican officials. About 34 percent of Taiwan’s 23 million people are Christian, according to government statistics.
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