TNAG-2321-FCO40-3365-Human-rights-in-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 279

2

RESTRICTED

that 24.12

6 DEC 1991

Cullere

جره

-x Dr. Harkin

(in position &

of

'spiritual matters

desk officer)

RECORD OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE RT HON JOHN GUMMER MP

AND CARDINAL JOZEF TOMKO AT THE CONGREGATION FOR THE

EVANGLISATION OF PEOPLES AT 11.00 ON TUESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 1991

Present: The Rt Hon John Gummer MP

Mr AE Palmer

Mr R Packer

Mr P J McCormick

Mr F Marlow

Cardinal Jozef Tomko

Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples

1.

Cardinal Tomko welcomed the Minister.

Mr Gummer said

he was delighted to take the opportunity of discussing with the Vatican authorities points that had arisen in his travels. China found it hard to accept the achievements of Taiwan. But during his recent visit to China, he had opened a factory in which Taiwan had been able to invest: some of the Taiwanese partners in the venture were even present at the ceremony. The Chinese also claimed that they had made a success of Communism, with their policy of giving back land to the people. We wondered what their next steps would be.

2.

Cardinal Tomko observed that it was difficult to understand Chinese logic. The Holy See had reduced their diplomatic representation to Taiwan to the level of Chargé d'Affaires. The transfer of their office from Peking to Taiwan had been forced on them by the Chinese authorities. The Vatican was always ready to talk to Peking. But like the Russian Orthodox Church under Communism, religion in China was under political direction. The Synod of Bishops of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA) was chaired by the Minister for Religious Affairs. For the Catholic Church, which did not seek to be a national Church, the Pope was not a political head: he exercised spiritual control. But the Chinese government insisted that Bishops must be chosen by them. There would be no ties with Rome, since

default ta

the Government could not permit the Church to answer to any time...

authority outside China.

3.

Mr Gummer agreed that the concept of non-spiritual'

direction was difficult for the Chinese to understand. He thought that this worried them. They also seemed unable to understand why the Chinese Catholics who professed allegiance to Rome did not accept CPA clergy, which the Government thought they should see as a good and legal way of practising their ministry without excessive interference from the authorities.

X

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/Human Rights