President Ma Ying-jeou has praised growth in Taiwan-Vatican ties during a meeting with outgoing Vatican charge d’affaires Msgr. Paul Russell.
Russell is the Vatican’s chief diplomat in Taiwan. He arrived in Taiwan shortly after Ma began his first term in office. News of Russell’s reassignment to Turkey comes as Ma prepares to leave office.
Ma said that during his eight years in office, the Vatican has sent far more high ranking members of the clergy to Taiwan than it has to other countries. He also said that Taiwan and the Vatican signed their first ever treaty in 2011, an important event for bilateral relations.
Ma said that the Pope’s calls for peace and compassion have encouraged him to spend the eight years of his presidency turning Taiwan into a peacemaker and a provider of humanitarian aid.