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]
| Legatio Rei Publicae Sinarum (Taiwan) ad Sanctam Sedem | |
 Republic of China Embassy in Rome | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1942 (in the Vatican City) 1996 (in Rome) |
| Jurisdiction |  Holy See Sovereign Military Order of Malta |
| Headquarters | Rome, Italy 41°54′09″N 12°27′48″E / 41.9026°N 12.4634°E |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | Embassy of the Republic of China (TAIWAN) to the Holy See |
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
editFollowing 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| 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
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Pope welcomes new Taiwanese ambassador, Vatican Radio, 23 January 2016
- ^ Taiwan's European ally, the Vatican, says remains loyal, Taipei Times, 12 September 2015
- ^ Europe Area, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC
- ^ Apostolic Nunciature, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
- ^ Ufficio di Rappresentanza di Taipei in Italia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
- ^ 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.
- ^ Yan Kejia, Catholic Church in China (China Intercontinental Press; translated by Chen Shujie), p. 90
- ^ Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See - Organizations
- ^ Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)
- ^ 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
- ^ Ex-envoy publishes book on Vatican ties, Taipei Times, 17 January 2013
- ^ Holy See's secretary of state attends 10/10 Day reception, China Post, 11 October 2015