Apostolic Nunciature to China
{{Short description|Diplomatic post of the Holy See}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox diplomatic mission
| name = Apostolic Nunciature to China
Nuntiatura Apostolica in Sinis
教廷駐華大使館
| image = Apostolic Nunciature to China (2015-).jpg
| caption = The Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of China in Taipei
| coordinates =
| location = Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| address = 7-1, Lane 265, Heping East Road Section 2, Da'an District
| ambassador =
| jurisdiction =
| apostolic_nuncio =
| consul_general =
| high_commissioner =
| deputy_high_commissioner =
| chargé_d'affaires = Stefano Mazzotti
| website =
}}
The Apostolic Nunciature to China is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the Republic of China. The Republic of China is now more commonly referred to as “Taiwan”. However, as far as the Vatican is concerned, the Republic of China is the state of “China”. The Holy See does not have a diplomatic mission in, or diplomatic relations with, the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Apostolic Nunciature to China is located at 7–1, Lane 265, Heping East Road Section 2, Da'an District, Taipei.
The rank of a nuncio is equivalent to that of an ambassador. The post has been vacant since 1971 when UN Resolution 2758 was passed by which the representatives of the PRC government were recognized as the only legitimate representatives of China. Since then the mission has been headed by a chargé d'affaires.
History
Efforts by both the Catholic Church and the Chinese government to establish direct contact began in the late Qing dynasty. Direct contact would break the restrictions from the Protectorate of missions of France. The Catholic Church responded to a request by Li Hongzhang of the Qing Empire on 3 May 1870, and established diplomatic ties. The church sent Archbishop Antonio Agliardi to China in early August as plenipotentiary with regard to diplomatic affairs. In July 1918, the Holy See and the Beiyang Government of the Republic of China agreed to send Giuseppe Petrelli and Dai Chenlin as their respective diplomats.{{cite web|url=http://www.hsstudyc.org.hk/en/tripod_en/en_tripod_152_03.html|title=Lou Tseng-Tsiang (1871-1949) and Sino-Vatican Diplomatic Relations|publisher=Holy Spirit Study Centre|year=2006–2007|access-date=27 December 2013|author=Sergio Ticozzi}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ccccn.org/article/guia/hist/2009-09-03/3609.html|script-title=zh:陆征祥与中梵外交关系|trans-title=Lou Tseng-Tsiang and China-Vatican relations|date=3 September 2009|author=田英杰, translated by 陈爱洁|publisher=chinacath.org|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202233904/http://www.ccccn.org/article/guia/hist/2009-09-03/3609.html|archive-date=2 December 2013}} However, this did not succeed due to objections from France.{{cite book |author1=陳方中|author2=江國雄|title=中梵外交關係史|year=2003|publisher=臺灣商務印書館|location=臺北|isbn=9570518359}}
Relations between the Republic of China and the Holy See strengthened in 1922 when Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini was appointed as an Apostolic Delegate to China, although he had no diplomatic status.{{cite web|url=http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/c/costantini-celso.php|title=Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini|publisher=Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity|author=Jean-Paul Wiest|access-date=27 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227103619/http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/c/costantini-celso.php|archive-date=27 December 2013|url-status=dead}} Official diplomatic ties were established in 1946 when Antonio Riberi assumed office as Apostolic Internuncio to China.{{cite web|url=http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/r/riberi-antonio.php|title=Antonio Riberi|author=China Group|access-date=27 December 2013|publisher=Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015150039/http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/r/riberi-antonio.php|archive-date=15 October 2013|url-status=dead}}
In 1951 Riberi left mainland China following the relocation of the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan. In 1966 the Apostolic Internunciature in China was upgraded to an Apostolic Nunciature. Since then, the Apostolic Nunciature to China sits at Taipei, Taiwan. Giuseppe Caprio became the first Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to China.{{cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/nunciature/nunc034.htm|title=Apostolic Nunciature of China|website=Gcatholic.org|access-date=27 December 2013}}
On 25 October 1971 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the People's Republic of China as sole representative of China, and the Holy See recalled the Apostolic Nuncio. Since that time, diplomatic affairs have been administered by chargés d'affaires.{{cite news|url=http://www.catholic.org.tw/en/News/News308a.html|title=Radio Taiwan International Interview of Msgr. Paul Russell|date=25 March 2010|access-date=27 December 2013|website=catholic.org.tw|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227130859/http://www.catholic.org.tw/en/News/News308a.html|archive-date=27 December 2013|url-status=dead}}
List of representatives
{{main|List of nuncios of the Holy See to China}}
=Apostolic Delegates to China (1922–1946)=
In 1922, Father Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini was appointed by the Holy See as Apostolic Delegate to China, without diplomatic status.
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Name | Name in Chinese | Nationality | Assumed office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini | 剛恆毅 Gāng Héngyì | {{ITA}} | 12 August 1922 | 1933 |
| Mario Zanin | 蔡寧 Cài Níng | {{ITA}} | 7 January 1934 | 1946 |
=Apostolic Internuncios to China (1946–1966)=
=Apostolic Nuncios to China (1966–''present'')=
==''Chargés d'affaires''==
See also
- China–Holy See relations
- Foreign relations of Taiwan
- Foreign relations of China
- Foreign relations of the Holy See
- Holy See–Taiwan relations
- List of diplomatic missions of the Holy See
- List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See
- Republic of China Ambassador to the Holy See {{in lang|zh}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/nunciature/nunc034.htm Apostolic Nunciature to China] - Gcatholic.org
- [http://www.tianzhu.org/tw/tz_newsd.php?news_id=8046&n_date=2008-06-08 About the embassy in China] - tianzhu.org {{in lang|zh}}
- [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dxxcn.html Nunciature to China] - catholic-hierarchy.org
{{Diplomatic missions of the Holy See}}
{{Diplomatic missions in the Republic of China}}
Category:Ambassadors to Taiwan