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China condoles death of Pope Francis, seeks continued progress in Vatican ties

Future of relations remains uncertain, analysts warn, given unresolved issues and possible policy shifts under the next pope

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People visit a Catholic Church in Baoding, in China’s northern Hebei province on Tuesday,  a day after the death of Pope Francis. Photo: AFP
Laura Zhou,Shi Jiangtaoin Hong KongandLawrence Chungin Taipei
Beijing on Tuesday expressed condolences over the death of Pope Francis and reiterated its willingness to continue improving relations with the Vatican.

But experts caution that the future of relations remains uncertain, given unresolved critical issues including whether the Vatican will formally recognise Beijing over Taiwan, and with a landmark agreement on appointing bishops still largely dependent on the next pope.

China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday emphasised the “constructive” momentum in ties with the Vatican as part of its condolence message.

“In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive engagement and carried out useful exchanges. China is willing to make joint efforts with the Vatican to promote the continuous improvement of China-Vatican relations,” spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

The Vatican has been working for years to improve relations with China, and Pope Francis declared last year that China was “a promise and a hope” for the Catholic Church.

04:43

Pope Francis dies at age 88

Pope Francis dies at age 88

Under Pope Francis, Beijing and the Holy See achieved a historic breakthrough in 2018 after decades of strained relations, signing a provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops in China.

Laura Zhou joined the Post's Beijing bureau in 2010. She covers China's diplomatic relations and has reported on topics such as Sino-US relations, China-India disputes, and reactions to the North Korea nuclear crisis, as well as other general news.
A former diplomat, Shi Jiangtao has worked as a China reporter at the Post for more than a decade. He's interested in political, social and environmental development in China.
Lawrence Chung covers major news in Taiwan, ranging from presidential and parliament elections to killer earthquakes and typhoons. Most of his reports focus on Taiwan’s relations with China, specifically on the impact and possible developments of cross-strait relations under the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party and mainland-friendly Kuomintang governments. Before starting work at the South China Morning Post in 2006, he wrote for Reuters and AFP for more than 12 years.
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