Vatican-China Relations to Improve?

Vatican is apparently keen to re-establish diplomatic relations with China, but China first wants it to adopt the one-China policy and sever its relations with Taiwan. The Vatican is the only European government that has formal relations with Taiwan, for which China essentially outlawed Catholicism in 1951.

"We are sincere about establishing ties with the Vatican," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said. He also expressed hope that under Pope Benedict XVI, "the Vatican will create favorable conditions to normalize relations."

Richard Spencer of the Daily Telegraph writes that the Vatican will indeed do what it takes to restore diplomatic relations with China. Fortunately I doubt that Pope Benedict is the typical world leader who places diplomacy over moral correctness. If the price to diplomatic relations with China is selling out Taiwan like much of the rest of the world has done, I say, "to hell with China."