Holy See, Taiwan commemorate 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations
October 24, 2012
The Holy See and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have marked the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Msgr. Paul Russell, the Holy See’s chargé d’affaires, said that challenges in diplomatic relations are “not inherent in the fundamental nature of either the ROC or of the Holy See, but rather are derived from external forces” – a likely reference to the Communist People’s Republic of China.
“The relationship between the ROC and the Holy See has remained firm, based on our shared commitment to world peace and the well-being of humankind,” added Vanessa Shih, Taiwan’s vice foreign minister.
The Holy See is one of 23 states—and the only European state—that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The United States, following in the footsteps of numerous other nations, broke diplomatic relations with Taipei and established relations with Beijing in 1979.
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