President Lai extends warm birthday greetings to Pope Leo XIV

Rome, Sept. 14 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV congratulating him on his 70th birthday on Sunday, conveying "cordial and heartfelt wishes" on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan.

Lai said the Pope demonstrated "dedication to human dignity" and "commitment to church unity" in his resolve to "promote world peace, social justice, and global outreach" in the first few months of his pontificate, which was in May 2025.

Lai also lauded the "efforts to build fellowship between different faiths and fraternity among nations," saying that they strengthened Taiwanese people's "will to uphold universal values and strive for the common good."

"In a world torn by conflict and strife, we strongly endorse the holy see's drive to realize peace, bridge divisions, and foster dialogue," Lai said.

"Taiwan will continue to coordinate with the Holy See to promote humanitarian assistance and bring comfort to people in need around the world," he pledged.

Meanwhile, a Taiwanese delegation consisting of ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers currently visiting Rome recorded a video at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican as a birthday greeting, expressing wishes that the ties between Taiwan and the Holy See continue to deepen.

The Holy See is one of the Republic of China's (ROC) 12 diplomatic allies and the only one in Europe. Formal relations were established in 1942, when the ROC government was still based on the Chinese mainland.