US embassy cable - 05VATICAN543

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000543 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (LARREA), DRL/IRF (KAO, KELLY) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  11/14/2015 
TAGS: KIRF, PHUM, PREL, VT, CH 
SUBJECT: VATICAN LOOKS TOWARDS CHINA - WITHOUT COMPROMISE 
 
REF: A) VATICAN 541, B) VATICAN 512, C) BEIJI NG 17460, D) TAIPEI 3796 
 
VATICAN 00000543  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Fleur Cowan, Political Officer, POL, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (U) The Holy See has sent clear messages to China recently 
that hint at improving relations, but which maintain the 
integrity of its position on religious freedom and autonomy. 
Both Pope Benedict XVI and Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo 
Sodano expressed displeasure at Beijing's intransigence on 
travel approval for Chinese bishops invited to Rome for an 
international meeting of bishops, and over lack of religious 
freedom in China.  The Vatican-affiliated Community of 
Sant'Egidio, active in dialogue with the Chinese, told us that 
their contacts had "frozen" after the synod controversy.  At the 
same time, the Holy See expressed its hope for change in China 
and reiterated its readiness to reestablish diplomatic 
relations.  U.S. support for Vatican-Chinese relations was 
highlighted by Italian and Vatican-based media coverage of 
President Bush's statements during his recent visit to Beijing 
(ref A).  End summary. 
 
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CLEAR MESSAGES FOR CHINA 
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2. (U) In late October, Pope Benedict XVI closed a three-week 
meeting of representatives of the world's bishops by lamenting 
China's ban on four bishops traveling to Rome.  After greeting 
the Chinese bishops in absentia in the name of all Catholic 
bishops, Benedict said he was pained by their absence from the 
October 2-23 synod.  The pontiff also expressed his closeness to 
the Chinese bishops, their priests and people.  Benedict assured 
them that he felt "the road of suffering" of the Catholic Church 
in China, assigned to the bishops' pastoral care.  The bishops 
attending the synod wrote jointly to the four absent Chinese 
bishops, expressing hope for the unity of the Catholic Church in 
China.  The Holy See released the text on October 23. 
 
3. (C) Representatives from the Vatican-affiliated Community of 
Sant'Egidio, active in dialogue with the Chinese on religious 
freedom issues, told us in mid November that their contacts had 
"frozen" after the synod controversy.  They confirmed that the 
Chinese "didn't appreciate" the way the pope invited the Chinese 
bishops to the synod, apparently without due consultation with 
behind-the-scenes contacts.  The Community's academic contacts 
and those with some access to the government interrupted contact 
almost immediately, apparently reflecting the Chinese Patriotic 
Catholic Association (CPCA) Vice Chair Liu Bainian's unhappiness 
with the situation as reported in ref C. 
 
4. (U) Vatican Secretary of State (PM equivalent) Cardinal 
Angelo Sodano, for his part reaffirmed the Holy See's well-known 
readiness to move its embassy from Taipei to Beijing the moment 
diplomatic relations with China are resumed.  Speaking to 
reporters October 25 on the sideline of the opening of a new 
convention center at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Sodano 
said the Holy See was continuing its outreach to Beijing but 
stressed that religious freedom must be guaranteed as in the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Sodano expressed the 
hope that "the sun of freedom would rise on this great country 
[China]," saying that governments had no right to tell people 
how they were to express their faith.  Reflecting on Beijing's 
refusal to allow Chinese bishops to attend the synod, the 
Secretary of State said he believed the situation would improve 
 
SIPDIS 
with time.  The Gregorian was a particularly apt venue for the 
subject as the convention center is named for famed Jesuit 
Missionary Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) who was renowned in China 
for his understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. 
 
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UNDERGROUND VS PATRIOTIC CHURCH 
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5. (U) In another development, a recent edition of Jesuit 
bi-monthly "Civilta Cattolica" published a Holy See-approved 
article on closer Sino-Holy See relations.  The author, Jesuit 
priest Hans Waldenfels, proposed that the Holy See should no 
longer name bishops for the so-called "underground" Catholic 
Church, saying it was standard procedure for Chinese Patriotic 
Catholic Association (CPCA) or "official" Church bishops to seek 
Holy See approval prior to their ordination.  Waldenfel wrote 
that Chinese leaders wanted solutions to the historical standoff 
with the Holy See and that "new possibilities were opening up." 
One sticking point is the intransigence of the "underground" 
Church in some provinces.  These long-suffering Catholics cannot 
readily forget decades of persecution and are reluctant to 
accept "jointly approved" bishops.  The synod bishops were 
likely referring to this situation when they called for more 
visible unity among China's Catholic communities. 
 
VATICAN 00000543  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
6. (C) Holy See China country director Monsignor Gianfranco Rota 
Graziosi provided an alternate view in a recent conversation 
with us, commenting that the CPCA also undermines unity between 
the churches.  Rota Graziosi said, "Unity will take time, as the 
patriotic church doesn't want to give up any control over the 
appointment of bishops."  He emphasized that it was in the 
Chinese government's interest to keep the Catholic church 
divided between underground and CPCA branches, and that any 
"visible unity" was a threat to the government's power.  Rota 
Graziosi noted that underground bishops have reported being 
approached by Chinese police who have encouraged them to be 
recognized by the CPCA, and thus protected.  He said that the 
underground bishops have declined the offer. 
 
7. (U) Not all signs on Catholic unity in China were bleak. 
Bishop Joseph Zen of Hong Kong addressed the Pope and assembled 
bishops at the synod, and in a post-synod interview with the 
Rome office of the U.S. bishops' news agency, said the recent 
ordinations of Chinese bishops with the explicit approval of 
both the Holy See and Beijing were "a breakthrough" in 
relations.  Sant'Egidio representatives told us that the steady 
blurring of the line between the two churches would eventually 
change the dynamic of the situation.  Zen said that some 85 
percent of government approved bishops had been reconciled with 
the Holy See, and that Chinese authorities had to accept the 
fact that for Catholics, unity with the Holy See was not a 
political alliance but "simply religious business." 
 
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TAIWAN: WE ARE THE VICTIMS 
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8. (C) As for the Taiwan end of the equation, Zen said Oct 31 he 
thought it was "unreasonable" for the Vatican to break ties with 
Taiwan before talks with Beijing begin on normalising 
Sino-Vatican relations.  Still, no one doubts that if and when 
relations between China and the Vatican are normalized Taiwan 
will be the loser.  Rota Graziosi noted that although it was 
"very sad for the Taiwanese church, they must make this 
sacrifice." 
 
9. (C) Though the Vatican has promised continuing formal 
relations with Taiwan, it is cold comfort to Taiwanese 
Ambassador Chou-seng Tou who can't help but resent the situation 
even if he understands the political realities involved.  He 
believes that there will be no improvement in diplomatic 
relations between China and the Holy See, "any time soon" 
because China is unlikely to make the minimum concessions 
necessary on religious freedom.  In a November 23 interview with 
Vatican-based media he noted that rather than releasing 
prisoners before President Bush's recent visit, the Chinese 
arrested several priests and seminarians.  Echoing James Huang's 
comments (ref D), Tou also underlined the political importance 
of the Vatican-Taiwan diplomatic relationship, noting that, "the 
Holy See is the only European nation with which we still have 
relations~ the Vatican is very important to us."  He went on, 
"We are somewhat the victims of the Holy See's strong desire for 
rapprochement with the mainland." emphasizing, "We're the 
victims, but we also understand," he concluded. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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9. (SBU) While Benedict XVI's and Cardinal Sodano's words were 
seen by some as a setback for Sino-Holy See relations, they were 
also a show of strength in the face of what the Vatican regards 
as Chinese intransigence and violations of religious liberty. 
We recall here the Holy See's 1999 cannonization of 120 Chinese 
saints on the same day that China was celebrating 50 years of 
communist rule.  The 1999 show of strength came after Beijing's 
previous refusal to allow two bishops to attend a 1998 meeting 
of the world's bishops.  Rota Graziosi noted that Cardinal 
Sodano's language is virtually the same five years later.  While 
seeking better relations with China, the Holy See will not 
compromise on the principle of religious freedom and its own 
autonomy and will continue to make this clear to the Chinese. 
The Holy See hopes that this recipe will combine with the 
positive developments noted above to inch the two sides ever 
closer.  In the Vatican's view it all depends on the Chinese, 
and as Vatican-based China watcher Fr. Bernardo Cervellera told 
us recently, echoing Chinese Politburo member Jia Qinglin 
(reftel C), "they aren't ready yet."  End comment. 
SANDROLINI