May 15, 2017
No.075
His Eminence Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, will be attending the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences from May 15 to 18 in Taiwan at the invitation of the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in the Republic of China.
In addition to participating in the said meetings in Taoyuan on May 16, Cardinal Baldisseri will meet with Vice President Chen Chien-jen and attend a reception hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs David Tawei Lee, as well as visit such cultural and educational sites as the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Fu Jen Catholic University and Baoan Temple.
Presently Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, which is chaired by the Pope, Cardinal Baldisseri has had a rich diplomatic career, having previously served as apostolic nuncio to Haiti, Paraguay, India, Nepal and Brazil. He was appointed Secretary of both the Congregation for Bishops and College of Cardinals in 2012, and was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Deacon in 2014.
The ROC and the Holy See have enjoyed diplomatic ties for 75 years, and bilateral relations continue to flourish, with both sides having engaged in close exchanges between high-level personnel and officials for many years. Various committees and charitable Catholic organizations of the Holy See also regularly engage in cooperation and exchange with Taiwan, and hold international activities in Taiwan, which is welcomed and supported by the ROC government. Looking forward, Taiwan will strive to increase exchanges and cooperation with the Vatican in a range of related fields, deepening bilateral relations and diplomatic ties on the basis of such common values as peace and liberty. (E)