Vatican urged to translate words into action
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-28 05:41

Beijing yesterday again expressed willingness to improve relations with the Vatican, but insisted the Holy See consider Taiwan as part of China and not interfere in the country's internal affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan takes questions from reporters at a regular press conference Thursday afternoon in Beijing. [fmprc.gov.cn]

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan made the remarks at a regular news briefing in response to a reported statement by the Vatican's top diplomat that it was ready to end relations with Taiwan.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the secretary of state, was quoted as saying on Tuesday that the Holy See was ready for dialogue and contacts with Beijing.

Kong said China has noted the statement from the Vatican and hopes the words can be translated into action. He reiterated Beijing's two preconditions to normalize relations.

First, the Vatican must sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognize the island as an inseparable part of China.

Second, the Vatican must not interfere in China's internal affairs, including religion.

Kong said all Chinese citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief, but religious groups must conduct themselves in accordance with laws and regulations.

China has had no diplomatic ties with the Vatican the only European country that has official relations with Taiwan since 1951.

Just hours after Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was named Pope Benedict XVI in April, China expressed the wish to improve bilateral ties, hoping that the Vatican would create favourable conditions to normalize relations under the new leadership.

War shrine visit

Kong criticized Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for his recent visit to the Yasukuni Shrine a symbol of Japanese militarism.

He said Koizumi's repeated visits to the shrine, where 14 class-A war criminals are honoured, hurt the feelings and dignity of the peoples who, and countries which, were victims of Japanese aggression during World War II.

Koizumi's acts have set up obstacles to the development of Sino-Japanese relations, he said.

(China Daily 10/28/2005 page1)