Ex-VP Chen Chien-jen named as envoy to new Pope's inauguration

Taipei, May 14 (CNA) Former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) has been appointed by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) as a special envoy to attend the inauguration of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican scheduled for Sunday, according to the Presidential Office.

In a statement, the Presidential Office said the office issued an order Wednesday evening naming Chen as the nation's envoy to attend the new Pope's inaugural mass to be held in St. Peter's Square.

Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8 as the 267th head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Holy See, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe, to succeed Pope Francis, who passed away in his residence on April 21 at the age of 88.

Pope Leo XIV, 69, is the first pope from the United States.

Chen served as Lai's envoy at the funeral of Pope Francis held in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on April 25.

The Vatican is one of 12 states in the world to have formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan's official name), and past ROC presidents have taken part in key papal events with other world leaders.

For example, former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), attended the papal inauguration of Pope Francis in 2013, and Ma's predecessor Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005.

The Holy See and Beijing do not have diplomatic relations, but the two sides signed an agreement on the appointment of bishops in China in 2018 that has since been renewed twice.

On his X page, Lai congratulated Pope Leo XIV on May 9 for his election, saying: "We look forward to building on our diplomatic ties with the Holy See, 83 years strong, to advance peace, justice, solidarity & benevolence."

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the choice of Chen as Lai's showcases interactions between Taiwan and the Vatican and their bilateral friendship.

The ministry stated that Chen has a close relationship with the Holy See. He was appointed an academician of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in 2021. He has also been invested as a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2013 and a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 2010 by the Vatican.

However, neither MOFA nor the Presidential Office elaborated on why Lai will not attend the event in person.