China and the Vatican have exchanged views on the possibility of
normalizing relations but no date has been set for when this is
likely to happen, Ye Xiaowen, China's top religious administrator,
said in Beijing yesterday.
Ye, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs,
stressed that the Holy See must agree to two basic principles
before diplomatic ties can be reestablished.
"We've maintained contact but it has been hard to set a
timetable," he told China Daily on the sidelines of a
seminar at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
He was referring to Beijing's insistence that the Vatican break
ties with Taiwan and refrain from meddling in China's internal
affairs.
"We can establish diplomatic relations with the Vatican very
soon if the two principles are accepted," Ye said. "But it is very
hard for us to do so if the two principles are violated."
The Vatican, the only government in Europe to recognize Taiwan
as an independent entity, has suggested some flexibility on moving
diplomatic recognition from the island to the mainland.
But one of the remaining stumbling blocks stems from the
Vatican's demand to give the Pope supreme authority over the
appointment of bishops in China, which China views as interference
in its internal affairs.
The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, founded in 1957,
does not recognize the authority of the Pope and appoints its own
bishops. However, Ye did suggest the chance of some flexibility
yesterday, saying the issue "may be open to consultation" but
declined to elaborate.
This was the first time China had directly commented on the
sensitive relationship issue since Pope John Paul II's successor
Benedict XVI announced that establishing diplomatic ties with China
was one of his priorities.
On March 25, the Vatican's foreign minister, Giovanni Lajolo,
said the "time is ripe" for reestablishing diplomatic ties, which
were severed in 1951.
The Pope has expressed his wish to visit China in the next few
years, according to earlier media reports.
No Pope has ever visited the Chinese mainland, which has about 5
million Catholics and 6,000 churches.
Also yesterday, Ye said Beijing might consider approving the
Dalai Lama's visit to China if he completely drops his pursuit of
'Tibetan independence'.
"As long as the Dalai Lama makes clear that he has completely
abandoned the notion of 'Tibetan independence', it is not
impossible for us to approve his visit," he said. "We can discuss
it."
The Dalai Lama, 70, said last month that he wished to make a
pilgrimage to China. His envoys conveyed his request to Beijing in
February.
(China Daily April 3, 2006)