A senior Vatican official is making a rare visit to Taiwan this week to attend celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Tzu Chi Foundation, as the Holy See continues efforts to maintain delicate relations with China.

Cardinal Peter Turkson is participating in anniversary events in Taipei and Hualien, where the Buddhist charity organization is headquartered, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the visit, saying Taiwan and the Vatican share values including religious freedom, peace, human rights, and interfaith cooperation.

The Vatican is one of only a small number of countries that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan and remains the island’s only diplomatic partner in Europe. However, the Holy See has also sought to improve relations with China in recent years, particularly through dialogue over the appointment of bishops and broader religious issues.

The visit is seen as symbolically important because high-level Vatican trips to Taiwan remain relatively uncommon amid ongoing geopolitical sensitivities between Beijing and Taipei.

Thousands of volunteers and supporters attended the Tzu Chi anniversary celebrations in Taipei, including Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and the United States’ de facto representative in Taiwan, Raymond Greene.

Founded in 1966, the Tzu Chi Foundation has become one of the world’s largest Buddhist humanitarian organizations, known for disaster relief operations, medical missions, educational programs, and charitable work across multiple countries and faith communities.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada