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Sino-Vatican Diplomatic Relations: Problems and Prospects*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

Gerald Chan
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The China Quarterly Two major factors have continued to impair diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Vatican, namely, the so-called “two-China” problem and the independence issue. China regards the Vatican’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan as an infringement of her sovereignty, and insists they are terminated prior to her consideration of a resumption of relations (broken off in 1958) with the Holy See. The Vatican is now the only state in Europe to maintain diplomatic links with Taiwan. Moreover, the Chinese Catholic Church wishes to remain independent of the Pope in Rome. This issue is manifested in the “self-consecration” of bishops in China without seeking the Pope’s prior approval. The “two-China” problem is basically a political and diplomatic one whereas the independence issue has religious as well as political implications. Both China and the Vatican recognize the existence of these two areas of dispute but they differ in their approach towards achieving a possible resolution. China demands that the Vatican should take steps to solve the “two-China” problem before China is ready to discuss the independence question, whereas the Vatican expects China to concede on the latter point first by acknowledging the Pope as the head of the universal Church, before proceeding to discuss other matters, including the status of the Vatican’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan. These different approaches lead to the present stalemate. Each side is expecting the other to take the initiative to overcome the apparent deadlock.

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Type
Research Article
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The China Quarterly , Volume 120 , December 1989, pp. 814 - 836
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1989

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References

1. Other problems include differences in ideology (Marxism v. Catholicism), population-control methods adopted in China, the issue of married priests, etc.

2. Unless otherwise specified, the Chinese Catholic Church or the Catholic Church or the Church refers to the church structure consisting of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, the Chinese College of Bishops, the Chinese Catholic Administrative Commission, together with the clergy and the laity, but excludes those Catholics who supposedly “remain loyal” to the Vatican (see the Figure and fn. 15 below). They are excluded because they have little or no negotiating or bargaining power with the government or government-sanctioned church bodies over church affairs.

3. He replaced Piero Biggio in early 1989. See Asia Focus (Hong Kong: Union of Catholic Asian News), Vol. 5, No. 10 (11 March 1989), p. 4Google Scholar; Hong Kong Standard, 16 December 1988, p. 1; and Taiwan, Republic of China Catholic Directory 1986 (Taibei: Kuangchi Press, 1986), pp. 39–42.Google Scholar

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38. Sunday Examiner, 10 October 1986.

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41. Louis Wei Tsing-sing, an historian and a former Chinese diplomat noted for his pro-Beijing views, suggested some conditions for reconciliation in 1984. See China Update, No. 20 (Summer 1987), pp. 17–19. Chan Kim-kwong has made some analyses of the need, problems and possible models for reconciliation in his Towards a Contextual Ecclesiology, pp. 380–86.

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46. Ibid. See also Xingdao ribao, Hong Kong, 16 December 1986, p. 2.

47. As stated in article 1 of canon 377 of the Code of Canon Law.

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52. Ibid. p. 64.

53. Ibid.

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56. South China Morning Post, 27 September 1985.

57. There are provisions for such confirmation. See article 1 of canon 377 of the Code of Canon Law.

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62. Ibid. See also Gerald Chan, “China, Taiwan and the Asian Development Bank: membership dispute and diplomatic implications” (forthcoming).