Taiwan President Tsai says war with China not an option in letter to Pope Francis

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen assured Pope Francis that military conflict with China is not an option in a letter the leader sent to the pontiff. Tsai also said that the only way to have good relations with China is for Beijing to respect Taiwan’s sovereignty and its people’s freedom.

In a copy of Tsai’s letter to the pope that was released by her office on Monday, Tsai said that the war in Ukraine had prompted the world to appreciate the value of peace and the importance of regional security. Tsai’s letter to the pontiff was in response to Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message on January 1. The Vatican is Taiwan’s European diplomatic ally, even as Taipei has expressed concern toward the Pope’s move to improve its relations with China, which sees the island as its territory.

“In my National Day speech last year, I reiterated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are the foundation for the development of cross-Strait relations and armed confrontation is absolutely not an option,” wrote Tsai.

“Only by respecting the commitment of the Taiwanese people to our sovereignty, democracy, and freedom can there be a foundation for resuming constructive interaction across the Taiwan Strait,” wrote the Taiwanese leader, referring to her October 10 speech. Tsai added that the island nation has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, providing protective equipment such as masks to countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tsai said that even as the island nation remains excluded from the World Health Organization due to China’s criticism, Taiwan is leading in efforts to play a positive role in addressing the pandemic.

Friday last week, Tsai thanked the island’s military for continuously defending Taiwan in her message marking the Lunar New Year, saying that Taipei has safeguarded peace amidst China’s military activities close to the island. In her recorded remarks, Tsai said that much like in 2022, 2023 will be “full of challenges,” citing China’s military drills and frequent incursions into its airspace.

Tsai said the Taiwanese government would continue to further grow the nation’s economy and protect its sovereignty in the Strait, which China also claims as its territory, criticizing foreign ships that make transits through the waterway.