Apostolic Nunciature to China

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.

Apostolic Nunciature to China Nuntiatura Apostolica in Sinis 教廷駐華大使館
The Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of China in Taipei
Location	Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
Address	7-1, Lane 265, Heping East Road Section 2, Da'an District
Chargé d'affaires	Stefano Mazzotti

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.^[1][2] The church sent Archbishop Antonio Agliardi to China in early August as plenipotentiary with regard to diplomatic affairs.^[1][2] 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.^[1][2] However, this did not succeed due to objections from France.^[1][2][3]

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.^[4] Official diplomatic ties were established in 1946 when Antonio Riberi assumed office as Apostolic Internuncio to China.^[5]

In 1951 Riberi left mainland China following the relocation of the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan.^[5] 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.^[6]

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.^[7]

List of representatives

Main article: 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.^[4]

Name	Name in Chinese	Nationality	Assumed office	Left office
Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini[4]	剛恆毅 Gāng Héngyì	Italy	12 August 1922	1933
Mario Zanin	蔡寧 Cài Níng	Italy	7 January 1934	1946

Apostolic Internuncios to China (1946–1966)

Name	Name in Chinese	Nationality	Assumed office	Presentation of credentials	Left office
Antonio Riberi[5]	黎培理 Lí Péilǐ	Monaco	6 July 1946	28 December 1946[8]	1951
The Apostolic Nunciature to China was relocated to Taiwan in 1952 after the People's Republic of China broke off diplomatic ties with the Holy See.
Giuseppe Caprio	高理耀 Gāo Lǐyào	Italy	20 May 1959	29 October 1959[9]	24 December 1966

Apostolic Nuncios to China (1966–present)

Name	Name in Chinese	Nationality	Assumed office	Presentation of credentials	Left office	Diplomatic title
Giuseppe Caprio	高理耀 Gāo Lǐyào	Italy	24 December 1966	30 January 1967[10]	22 August 1967	Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
Luigi Accogli	艾可儀 Ài Kěyí	Italy	16 October 1967	23 December 1967[3]	29 September 1970
Edward Idris Cassidy	葛錫迪 Gé Xīdí	Australia	27 October 1970	5 December 1970[11]	28 April 1979
The post has been vacant since 25 October 1971, when the nuncio was recalled by the Holy See from Taiwan but maintain its title. Since then, chargés d'affaires have been in charge of de facto Apostolic Nunciature to China.

Chargés d'affaires

Name	Name in Chinese	Nationality	Assumed office	Left Office
Francesco Colasuonno	高樂天 Gāo Lètiān	Italy	2 August 1972[3]	1974
Thomas A. White	陶懷德 Táo Huáidé	Ireland	1974	1978
Paolo Giglio	吉立友 Jí Lìyǒu	Malta	12 July 1978	1986
Piero Biggio	畢齊樂 Bì Qílè	Italy	6 April 1986	1988
Adriano Bernardini	裴納德 Péi Nàdé	Italy	17 January 1989	1992
Juliusz Janusz	尤雅士 Yóu Yǎshì	Poland	25 August 1992	1995
Joseph Chennoth	車納德 Chē Nàdé	India	26 April 1995	1999
Adolfo Tito Yllana	易福霖 Yì Fúlín	Philippines	20 September 1999	6 January 2002
James Patrick Green	格霖澤 Gé Línzé	United States	18 January 2002	2003
Ambrose Madtha	安博思 Ān Bósī	India	11 February 2003[12]	8 May 2008[13]
Paul Fitzpatrick Russell[7]	陸思道 Lù Sīdào	United States	8 May 2008[14][15]	19 March 2016[16]
Slađan Ćosić [hr; pl; ja]	高德隆 Gāo Délóng	Bosnia and Herzegovina	19 March 2016	10 August 2019
Arnaldo Sanchez Catalan	佳安道 Jiā Āndào	Philippines	10 August 2019	31 January 2022
Stefano Mazzotti	馬德範 Mǎ Défàn	Italy	19 July 2022[17]

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 Chinese)

References

1. Sergio Ticozzi (2006–2007). "Lou Tseng-Tsiang (1871-1949) and Sino-Vatican Diplomatic Relations". Holy Spirit Study Centre. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
2. 田英杰, translated by 陈爱洁 (3 September 2009). 陆征祥与中梵外交关系 [Lou Tseng-Tsiang and China-Vatican relations] (in Chinese). chinacath.org. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013.
3. 陳方中; 江國雄 (2003). 中梵外交關係史. 臺北: 臺灣商務印書館. ISBN 9570518359.
4. Jean-Paul Wiest. "Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini". Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
5. China Group. "Antonio Riberi". Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
6. "Apostolic Nunciature of China". Gcatholic.org. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
7. "Radio Taiwan International Interview of Msgr. Paul Russell". catholic.org.tw. 25 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
8. 郭廷以 (1985). 中華民國史事日誌. 臺北: 中央研究院近代史研究所.
9. 教廷新任駐華公使高理耀晉謁蔣中正總統呈遞到任國書 [The new Apostolic Internuncio Giuseppe Caprio presents his credentials to President Chiang Kai-shek]. 中央社 秦炳炎 (in Chinese). 國家文化資料庫 (published 31 December 2002). 29 October 1959. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
10. 教廷新任駐華大使高理耀呈送國書副本 [The new Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Caprio presents his credentials]. 中央社 潘月康 (in Chinese). 國家文化資料庫. 30 January 1967. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
11. 教廷新任駐華大使葛錫迪呈遞國書 [The new Apostolic Nuncio Edward Cassidy presents his credentials]. 中華民國新聞 (in Chinese). Presidential Office Building, Taipei, Taiwan: 台灣電影文化公司 (published December 1970). 5 December 1970.
12. 新任教廷驻华代办否认台梵关系生变. radiovaticana.va (in Chinese). 天亚社．台北讯. 3 March 2003.
13. 梅雅美--安博思主教將調任教廷駐象牙海岸大使 (in Chinese). boxun.com. 5 June 2008.
14. 總統歡迎新任教廷代辦 盼加強雙邊關係. catholic.org.tw (in Chinese). 中央社. 10 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
15. "Press release by the Apostolic Nunciature to China". catholic.org.tw. Taipei. 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
16. "Beijing, Taipei, and the future of Vatican-Chinese relations". Catholic News Agency. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
17. "Diplomazia vaticana. Hong Kong e Taiwan, le nuove nomine". Retrieved 19 July 2022.

External links

• Apostolic Nunciature to China - Gcatholic.org
• About the embassy in China - tianzhu.org (in Chinese)
• Nunciature to China - catholic-hierarchy.org