Vice President Wu Den-yih has made a short stop at New Delhi on his way to Vatican City. This is the first time a high-ranking Taiwanese official has made a stop in India’s political center, an indication that bilateral ties are growing stronger.
Taiwan and India do not have official diplomatic relations. The stopover in the Indian capital may anger China, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory, even though the two sides have been ruled separately for more than 60 years.
The vice president arrived in New Delhi on Saturday. He is scheduled to attend the canonizations of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII on Sunday.
While in Vatican City on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou, Wu will present Pope Francis with a portrait of the Pope painted by Taiwanese artist Liang Dan-feng.