On the morning of April 26, Vice President Wu Den-yih and Mrs. Wu led a delegation from Taiwan to the Vatican to attend the canonization ceremonies of the late Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. Vice President Wu delivered brief remarks prior to boarding the aircraft, expressing hope that this trip will help to solidify the bilateral alliance and further promote the cooperative relationship between the Vatican and the ROC.
In remarks, the vice president stated that he is attending the ceremonies on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou, and that accompanying him and his wife on the trip are Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vanessa Yea-Ping Shih (史亞平) and Order of Saint Sylvester conferee Chiang Chi-wen (江綺雯). The delegation will attend the canonization of the late Popes John XXIII and John Paul II to extend the congratulations of the ROC, he said.
Vice President Wu commented that the two late popes both upheld the principles of freedom and peace, and developed deep ties with the ROC's Catholic Church. During his papacy, Pope John XXIII ordained a number of bishops from Taiwan and helped re-establish the Fu Jen Catholic University here. Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II appointed Taiwan-based Paul Shan Kuo-Hsi (單國璽) as a cardinal, and Cardinal Shan had the opportunity to have an audience with Pope John Paul II, he said.
The vice president stated that the ROC and the Vatican have had a diplomatic alliance dating back 73 years, and that the two sides have a shared commitment to the universal values of human rights, freedom, democracy, and rule of law. He also had praise for the Vatican's envoy to the ROC, Charge d'Affaires a.i. Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell, stating that he had made big contributions to the ROC by enhancing friendship between the two sides.
Vice President Wu stressed that he is confident that current Pope Francis will continue to demonstrate the spirit of benevolence and peace, which will further enhance the bilateral alliance.
Vice President and Mrs. Wu will return to Taiwan on April 30. Secretary-General to the President Timothy Chin-Tien Yang (楊進添) and Mrs. Yang, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin (林永樂) and Mrs. Lin, and Monsignor Russell were among those at the airport wishing the vice president and his delegation a successful trip.