Your Holiness:
Happy New Year!
Your Holiness' Message for the 35th World Day of Peace for the Year 2002, "No Peace Without Justice, No Justice Without Forgiveness" has come to my attention through H.E. Raymond R.M. Tai, our Ambassador to the Holy See.
After reading your inspirational message, I feel compelled to express my appreciation for Your Holiness' spiritual guidance in search of peace and justice. It is my hope that the leaders of nations are moved and encouraged by Your Holiness' words, particularly those as expressed in Your Holiness' following message: "The World Day of Peace this year offers all humanity, and particularly the leaders of nations, the opportunity to reflect upon the demands of justice and the call to forgiveness in the face of the grave problems which continue to afflict the world, not the least of which is the new level of violence introduced by organized terrorism."
I totally agree with Your Holiness' insightful vision of translating spiritual reform into real peace and reconciliation. Indeed, I share Your Holiness' belief that the road to peace lies in the spiritual reform, which can redress an evil. Only when benevolence and forgiveness alleviate hatred and revenge, and peace and justice replace violence, can world peace be achieved.
In our part of the world, disputes between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have been a constant source of tension since 1949. We have made great efforts to improve bilateral relations in recent years. On November 12, 2001, I issued a "Statement on the ROC's Accession to the World Trade Organization" in which I expressed hope for the improvement of cross-strait relations: "I am confident that the PRC's joining the WTO will further advance reforms on the Chinese mainland, leading to greater economic liberalization, closer integration with the world economy, and a better life for its people. The concurrent accession of the ROC and the PRC will also help normalize economic and trade relations between the two sides and promote closer interaction and cooperation within the WTO's multilateral trading system."
I am very grateful when Your Holiness addressed the Diplomatic Corps on January 10, 2002 in such an encouraging way, saying: "I am also pleased to mention the good news…. Since last November, delegations of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China have taken their seats in the World Trade Organization. May this positive development help prosper all the efforts which have been made on the difficult path of rapprochement!... These certainly are significant advances on the path of pacification between individuals and peoples." I want to assure Your Holiness that freedom of religion will always be our primary concern in the cross-strait peace process.
Finally, let us hope that in the year 2002, as your message indicated, "a world in which the power of evil seems once again to have taken the upper hand will in fact be transformed into a world in which the noblest aspirations of the human heart will triumph, a world in which true peace will prevail."
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Holiness the assurance of my highest consideration.