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TAIPEI (REUTERS) – Taiwan said Thursday (September 27th) that its relations with the Vatican are stable, although it will closely monitor what it calls China's "crackdown" following a landmark agreement between Beijing and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops. on the continent.
The Vatican has signed an agreement giving it a long-awaited opinion on the appointment of bishops in China, triggering concerns among some officials in Taiwan that the Vatican could transfer diplomatic recognition to Beijing.
The Holy See is the last diplomatic ally of Taiwan in Europe. The island of Taiwan, which is self-sustaining, maintains formal relations with 16 other countries, including many smaller, less developed countries in Central America and the Pacific.
Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a renegade province, has consistently accused China of using dollar diplomacy and moral harassment to seduce its allies, accusations rejected by Beijing.
"We will closely monitor China's crackdown and calculations," Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee said in response to Beijing's comments that he wanted to strengthen ties with the Vatican.
"Relations between Taiwan and the Vatican are stable," he said, adding that Taiwan would actively help with a Vatican plan to redevelop its embassy in Taipei, using this as an example of stable ties.
Critics have described the Vatican's deal with China selling to the communist government, Cardinal Jospeh Zen, the highest-ranking Chinese Catholic dignitary, calling it "unbelievable betrayal".
"They are giving the herd in the mouths of wolves," 86-year-old Zen told Reuters last week.
Since the agreement was signed last Saturday, the Vatican has not mentioned Taiwan.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis urged Chinese leaders to move forward with "trust, courage and foresight" and urged Chinese Catholics not to hesitate to "criticize" when it is necessary to uphold human dignity.
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