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VATICAN, TAIWAN, HONG KONG, CHINA
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representation in tik. 1. We spoke. I have not been able to find exactly what you described to me. However there was a flurry of related activity in early 1989. I attach copies of telegraphic correspondence between the Holy See, Hong Kong, Peking and London of early 1989 relating to the Vatican's wish to set up an office in Hong Kong. The question had apparently first arisen in 1984 but had been put on one side. Vatican Affairs had been looked after since the early fifties by a (now) elderly priest and they wanted to reorganise the system. What they had in mind was ecclesiastical, non-diplomatic, representation which would adopt a very low profile. independent office was unacceptable, they suggested that the representative could be formally on the staff of the nunciatures in London or in Manila (but not of course Taiwan). Hong Kong's initial reaction was not favourable, on the grounds that there political arguments (mainly relating to the status of the office and the privilege and immunities it would be granted, and to a reluctance to be involved in any way in the intricacies of the diplomatic manouevring between Peking and the Vatican) against the establishment of such an office, although they were prepared to see an increase in the staff of Cardinal Wu (based in Hong Kong). This was not good enough for the Vatican and they restated their request on several occasions both in the Vatican and in London. unable to trace from the material I have here whether the matter was resolved in the Vatican's favour. I suspect that it was allowed to drop after the events of June 1989 on the mainland.
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As you know the Holy See maintains full diplomatic relations in the form of an Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan, although the post of Nuncio has been vacant for a considerable time and the Nunciature is headed by a Charge d'Affaires (since 1979). Taiwan maintains an Embassy at the Vatican, and the latest Ambassador Hoang Sieou-je took up his post in May 1991.
3. China's position on relations with the Vatican has been, in the words of Foreign Minister Qian Qichen in October 1990: "It (the Vatican) still has relations with Taiwan; it must first break off relations with Taiwan if it want s to establish relations with us. Also the Vatican has always insisted that the Pope can interfere in religious affairs in various countries, and this point we cannot accept. If it can change on this problem, then the situation will certainly be different." The Vatican's line has, correspondingly, been that they were willing to terminate diplomatic relations with Taiwan (perhaps reducing the representative to the level of apostolic delegate), provided this was accompanied by a simultaneous and satisfactory understanding between the Chinese authorities and the Holy See over ecclesiastical matters, including the appointment of Bishops by the Pope. Rows over the appointment of Bishops and the Vatican's alleged "interference in Chinese internal affairs" flare up from time to time. the Patriotic Catholic Church in China (the officially approved
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