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Embassy of Taiwan, Holy See

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Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See
中華民國駐教廷大使館
Legatio Rei Publicae Sinarum (Taiwan) ad Sanctam Sedem
Republic of China Embassy in Rome
Agency overview
Formed1942 (in the Vatican City)
1996 (in Rome)
Jurisdiction Holy See
 Sovereign Military Order of Malta
HeadquartersRome, Italy
41°54′09″N 12°27′48″E / 41.9026°N 12.4634°E / 41.9026; 12.4634
Agency executive
  • Matthew S.M. Lee, Ambassador[1]
WebsiteEmbassy of the Republic of China (TAIWAN) to the Holy See

The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See (Chinese: 中華民國駐教廷大使館) is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan) accredited to the Holy See, one of its few de jure embassies in the world, and the only one remaining in Europe.[2] It also has responsibility for relations with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.[3]

Its counterpart in the Republic of China is the Apostolic Nunciature to China in Taipei.[4]

It is separate from the Taipei Representative Office in Italy in Rome, which functions as a de facto embassy in Italy.[5]

History

[edit]

Following the British Empire's defeat of China in the First Opium War (1839-1841), foreign powers required China to permit foreign missionaries.[6]: 182  The unequal treaties gave European powers jurisdiction over missions and some authority over Chinese Christians.[6]: 182  France sought to frame itself as the protector of Catholics in China, which in turn led to a sustained diplomatic dispute with the Holy See about who had authority over Chinese Catholics.[6]: 182 

In 1917, the ROC and the Holy See agreed in principle to establish a diplomatic relationship.[6]: 182  France, which had framed itself as the protector of Catholics in China since the unequal treaties and had a long-standing dispute with the Holy See as a result, blocked these diplomatic efforts.[6]: 182  As a result, Vatican interests in China were represented by an Apostolic Delegate (which does not have formal diplomatic status) until the 1940s.[6]: 182 

The Republic of China established relations with the Holy See in July 1942. After Xie Shoukang arrived in Rome on 26 January 1943, the legation was based in the Vatican City.[7] After the Second World War, the legation was moved to Rome.

In 1951, the People's Republic of China expelled the Apostolic Internuncio.[6]: 181  In 1953, the Apostolic Internuncio moved to Taipei.[6]: 181, 187 

In June 1959, the Republic of China Legation was upgraded to an Embassy, and the Minister Plenipotentiary became Ambassador.[8] In August, ROC ambassador John Ching Hsiung Wu resigned as the ROC Ambassador to the Holy See.[6]: 186  By that time, the ROC Foreign Ministry had already re-located to Taipei due to Nationalist losses in the Chinese Civil War.[6]: 186  Wu requested that the ROC delay naming his replacement because of what he described as the delicate situation.[6]: 186 

When the United Nations removed the ROC and recognized the PRC as China, the Holy See downgraded its diplomatic status with the ROC.[6]: 188  As the ROC has continued to lose diplomatic recognition over time since then, its embassy to the Holy See has increased in political significance from the ROC's perspective.[6]: 188  It is the ROC's only embassy in Europe.[6]: 188 

In March 2005, the embassy was moved to Via della Conciliazione 4/D.[9]

List of Envoys to the Holy See

[edit]
Main article: List of ambassadors of China to the Holy See
Name Appointed Terminated Note
HSIEH Shou-Kang January 1943 September 1946
Wu Ching-hsiung September 1946 July 1949
CHU Ying July 1949 October 1954 as an agency
HSIEH Shou-Kang October 1954 June 1959 then became an ambassador

List of Ambassadors to the Holy See

[edit]
Name Appointed Terminated note
HSIEH Shou-Kang June 1959 September 1966
Shen Chang-huan September 1966 March 1969
Chen Chih-Mai March 1969 January 1978
CHOW Shu-Kai January 1978 August 1991
HOANG Sieou-Je August 1991 May 1993
Edward Tzu-Yu WU May 1993 August 1996
Raymond R.M. TAI September 1996 January 2004[10]
Chou-seng TOU January 2004 15 September 2008[11]
Larry Wang September 2008[12] December 2015
Matthew S.M. LEE December 2015[1] current

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Pope welcomes new Taiwanese ambassador, Vatican Radio, 23 January 2016
  2. ^ Taiwan's European ally, the Vatican, says remains loyal, Taipei Times, 12 September 2015
  3. ^ Europe Area, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC
  4. ^ Apostolic Nunciature, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
  5. ^ Ufficio di Rappresentanza di Taipei in Italia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Moody, Peter (2024). "The Vatican and Taiwan: An Anomalous Diplomatic Relationship". In Zhao, Suisheng (ed.). The Taiwan Question in Xi Jinping's Era: Beijing's Evolving Taiwan Policy and Taiwan's Internal and External Dynamics. London and New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781032861661.
  7. ^ Yan Kejia, Catholic Church in China (China Intercontinental Press; translated by Chen Shujie), p. 90
  8. ^ Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See - Organizations
  9. ^ Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
  10. ^ Address of His Holiness John Paul II to H.E. Mr Raymond R.M. Tai, new Ambassador of the Republic of China to the Holy See, 4 October 1996
  11. ^ Ex-envoy publishes book on Vatican ties, Taipei Times, 17 January 2013
  12. ^ Holy See's secretary of state attends 10/10 Day reception, China Post, 11 October 2015
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