Pope gets first taste of simmering China-Taiwan dispute
- Published: 19 Mar 2013 at 12.49
- Online news: Asia
President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan met with Pope Francis in St Peter's Basilica on Tuesday in a first taste for the new pontiff of a long-running dispute that pits the island against its giant neighbour China.
Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou and Taiwan's First lady Christine Chow Ma (R) attend Pope Francis's inauguration mass on March 19, 2013 at the Vatican. Ma met with Pope Francis in St Peter's Basilica on Tuesday in a first taste for the new pontiff of a long-running dispute that pits the island nation against its giant neighbour China.
China has called on the Vatican to cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Sunday saying the Vatican should "recognise the Chinese government as the sole legal representative of all China."
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