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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)
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