Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-29
By: Tang Pei-chun and Lilian Wu, Central News Agency

Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) The Taiwan government understands the Vatican’s desire for dialogue with China and thinks that it will consider the feelings of the Taiwanese people as it works to develop relations with China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

The Republic of China (Taiwan) has long-term diplomatic relations with the Vatican, which remain solid and are proceeding normally, said MOFA spokeswoman Eleanor Wang. President Ma Ying-jeou, Vice President Wu Den-yih and Foreign Affairs Minister David Lin have all visited the Vatican at its invitation, she said.

Vatican commissions and Catholic charities frequently hold activities in Taiwan, which is evidence of the close exchanges and solid friendship between the two sides, Wang said.
Her comments came in the wake of foreign media reports that Pope Francis is eying a visit of China, having concluded his trip to the U.S. “I’d really love to go to China,” the Catholic leader told reporters on a flight from the U.S. back to Rome on Monday, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.     [FULL  STORY]