President Ma Ying-jeou met with Papal Special Envoy Jozef Cardinal Tomko at the Presidential Office on the afternoon of November 20. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), extended a cordial welcome to Cardinal Tomko on his visit here.
The president commented that Cardinal Tomko previously visited Taiwan twice, in 1988 and 1994. His third visit to Taiwan comes on the occasion of the 150th anniversary celebration of missionary activities in Taiwan by the Catholic Church. President Ma remarked that this demonstrates the importance that the Vatican places on Catholics in Taiwan.
President Ma said that two Catholic missionaries arrived in Taiwan in 1858. Over the past 150 years, the Catholic Church has built 724 churches throughout Taiwan. Taiwan is presently home to around 300,000 Catholics. In addition, the Catholic Church has established five universities and colleges, 29 secondary schools, 11 elementary schools, 166 nursery schools, and countless social welfare and medical institutions here. Catholic priests and nuns have cared for millions of Taiwanese through these organizations and institutions, he said. In particular, any number of families several decades ago relied on assistance provided by the Catholic Church when Taiwan was not as wealthy as it is now, he said.
President Ma said that including the ROC, the Vatican maintains diplomatic relations with 177 nations throughout the world. The ROC and the Holy See established formal ties in 1942. For a variety of reasons, the two sides waited for a period of time before establishing mutual embassies. However, the two sides have consistently maintained strong ties. The president said that when southern Taiwan suffered devastating flooding and landslides in early August, the Vatican provided a variety of assistance and donations. The president expressed his deep appreciation for these gestures.
The president also expressed his hopes that the relationship between the ROC and the Vatican will remain strong based on historical ties and frequent contacts. He said the ROC each year responds to the Pope's annual New Year's peace message. President Ma said that 30 years ago when he served at the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs forwarded the document to him to respond to each year. Since becoming president, he has personally replied, expressing support for the Pope's efforts to pursue world peace.
President Ma furthermore said that this year in his response to the Pope's annual peace message, he specially mentioned that as president, he has sought to improve cross-strait relations and pursue peace. Over the past year-plus period, this work has resulted in a significant reduction in tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. The confrontation of the past has given way to peace, he said. The government has adopted concrete measures in response to the calls by the Pope. We hope that peace in the Taiwan Strait will continue, he said, enabling people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to pursue wellbeing in a peaceful environment. President Ma also asked Cardinal Tomko to pass along his best wishes to Pope Benedict XVI. We will continue to promote cross-strait peace, he said. Besides trade and cultural relations, the ROC and mainland China will also engage in religious exchanges, enabling people on both sides to know the gospel, which will help foster advancement and development in societies on each side, he said.
Cardinal Tomko noted that the Catholic Church has engaged in missionary work in Taiwan for 150 years. He said that on behalf of the Vatican he would like to extend his appreciation to the people of Taiwan for their long-term support. At the same time, he hopes that the people of the globe, including Taiwanese, will jointly pursue democracy, human rights, freedom, and peace for the world.