President Ma Ying-jeou and Mrs. Ma departed from Taiwan on the evening of March 17 with a delegation to attend the installation of Pope Francis at the Vatican on March 19. In brief remarks prior to boarding the aircraft, President Ma expressed hope that this visit to the Vatican will help solidify the friendship and alliance, as well as further promote the bilateral cooperative relationship.
In remarks, the president stated that this is his first visit to the Vatican since becoming president. In addition to attending the inauguration ceremonies for Pope Francis, the president said, he will extend his congratulations to the newly elected pope. This trip, he mentioned, will also demonstrate the importance that the ROC places on its relationship with its only formal diplomatic ally in Europe.
President Ma remarked that the ROC first sought the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1923. While the move at that time was not successful, the two countries ultimately initiated formal diplomatic relations in 1942 during the ROC's War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945). The bilateral alliance has been quite strong since, he commented, adding that both share the universal values of human rights, freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. President Ma expressed hope that the partnership between the ROC and the Vatican will continue to be maintained in the future.
President Ma noted that each year on January 1 the pope issues a message to mark the World Day of Peace. He said that over 30 years ago, when he first worked at the Office of the President, he saw the message and also read the reply drafted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The president remarked that since taking office he has continuously emphasized that the ROC should play the roles of peacemaker and provider of humanitarian aid in the world community. He stated that the nation has strived to promote that work and that this fits in well with the message advocated by the pope in his annual World Day of Peace message.
Lastly, President Ma expressed his special appreciation to Charge d'Affairs a.i. Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell of the Apostolic Nunciature to the ROC for his assistance in arranging this trip. He also said he expects this trip will be successful in further solidifying the bilateral alliance and promoting a cooperative relationship between the two countries.
The delegation led by President and Mrs. Ma will return to Taiwan on March 20. Secretary-General to the President Timothy Chin-Tien Yang (楊進添) and Mrs. Yang, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General John C. C. Deng (鄧振中) and Mrs. Deng, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin (林永樂) and Mrs. Lin, Burkina Faso Ambassador to the ROC Jacques Y. Sawadogo, the head of the foreign diplomatic corps in the ROC, and Mrs. Sawadogo, and Charge D'Affairs A.I. Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell of the Apostolic Nunciature to the ROC were on hand at the airport to wish the delegation a safe journey.