HKSE: Papal telegramme to China makes landfall
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Robert Carbonneau
Jan 31, 2015, 11:17:09 AM1/31/15
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Hong Kong Sunday Examiner
http://sundayex.catholic.org.hk/
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Papal telegramme to China makes landfall
HONG KONG (SE): Beijing has replied to a telegramme sent by Pope Francis to the president of China, Xi Jinping, as he flew through Chinese airspace on his way back to Rome from Manila on January 19 (Sunday Examiner, January 25), the Vatican Insider reported on January 21.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, announced the news at a press briefing in Beijing.
He said, “We are willing to have constructive dialogue with the Vatican based on relevant principles.”
He then reiterated the usual demands that diplomatic ties with Taiwan be cut and that the People’s Republic of China be recognised as the sole government representing China, as well as demanding that the Vatican stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in the name of religion.
Hua added, “China is always sincere in improving ties with the Vatican and has been making efforts to this end.”
This is the third time that Pope Francis has been allowed to fly through Chinese airspace and had the opportunity to send a message to Xi.
The first two were when he travelled to and from South Korea last August for the beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung, who was martyred along with 123 companions, and to attend Asian Youth Day.
Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state remarked, “There are signs that seem to indicate a mutual willingness and are therefore promising.”
He said that it seems the fact that the pope flew through Chinese airspace again after his visit to Korea is significant.
The cardinal expressed his hope that when rapprochement does happen, it would take place in a spirit of love and truth.
“It will undoubtedly be an enormous benefit for the Catholic Church in China, for life inside the Church in China and the role it is called to play—that of fostering evangelisation in that great and noble society—for the good of the country and in the interests of world peace,” he concluded.
However, the Global Times reported on January 21 that on the same day, Pope Francis left open the possibility of meeting with the Dalai Lama, as Agence France Presse reported him as saying, “Some newspapers said that I did not meet with him out of fear of China. This is not true… A date has been fixed. But not for the moment. We are in contact.”
Xu Yihua, a professor with the Shanghai-based Fudan University, told the Global Times, said, “His two remarks in one day reflect his ambivalence… His audience with Dalai Lama alone will definitely be seen as a step backward for bilateral relations.”
But Yan Keija, the director of the Institute of Religious Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that he believes that the stick and carrot approach is not a proper conduct for a religious leader.
Nevertheless, he added, “China’s mild reaction leaves more leeway for the Vatican to negotiate with China in the future.”
http://sundayex.catholic.org.hk/
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Papal telegramme to China makes landfall
HONG KONG (SE): Beijing has replied to a telegramme sent by Pope Francis to the president of China, Xi Jinping, as he flew through Chinese airspace on his way back to Rome from Manila on January 19 (Sunday Examiner, January 25), the Vatican Insider reported on January 21.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, announced the news at a press briefing in Beijing.
He said, “We are willing to have constructive dialogue with the Vatican based on relevant principles.”
He then reiterated the usual demands that diplomatic ties with Taiwan be cut and that the People’s Republic of China be recognised as the sole government representing China, as well as demanding that the Vatican stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in the name of religion.
Hua added, “China is always sincere in improving ties with the Vatican and has been making efforts to this end.”
This is the third time that Pope Francis has been allowed to fly through Chinese airspace and had the opportunity to send a message to Xi.
The first two were when he travelled to and from South Korea last August for the beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung, who was martyred along with 123 companions, and to attend Asian Youth Day.
Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state remarked, “There are signs that seem to indicate a mutual willingness and are therefore promising.”
He said that it seems the fact that the pope flew through Chinese airspace again after his visit to Korea is significant.
The cardinal expressed his hope that when rapprochement does happen, it would take place in a spirit of love and truth.
“It will undoubtedly be an enormous benefit for the Catholic Church in China, for life inside the Church in China and the role it is called to play—that of fostering evangelisation in that great and noble society—for the good of the country and in the interests of world peace,” he concluded.
However, the Global Times reported on January 21 that on the same day, Pope Francis left open the possibility of meeting with the Dalai Lama, as Agence France Presse reported him as saying, “Some newspapers said that I did not meet with him out of fear of China. This is not true… A date has been fixed. But not for the moment. We are in contact.”
Xu Yihua, a professor with the Shanghai-based Fudan University, told the Global Times, said, “His two remarks in one day reflect his ambivalence… His audience with Dalai Lama alone will definitely be seen as a step backward for bilateral relations.”
But Yan Keija, the director of the Institute of Religious Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that he believes that the stick and carrot approach is not a proper conduct for a religious leader.
Nevertheless, he added, “China’s mild reaction leaves more leeway for the Vatican to negotiate with China in the future.”
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