Vatican expresses desire for ties with China, but stresses religious freedom

Vatican City - The Vatican reiterated its desire Friday to forge diplomatic relations with China, but urged Beijing to first recognize "religious freedom as the most important of all freedoms."

"We are ready to enter into diplomatic relations with Beijing. There are difficulties but I think they can be overcome," said the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo. "But I pray it will be soon."

"There's a better understanding from the side of the Chinese government on our position," he said, referring to the Vatican's interest in building ties with Beijing.

The Vatican has "great consideration for the Chinese people," Lajolo said.

Neither Beijing nor the Holy See have said they are discussing possible relations, but leaders of the world's most populous country and the world's largest religious denomination have publicly declared their desire for ties.

"Religious freedom is the most important of all kinds of freedoms, it brings together all kinds of freedoms," Lajolo said at a public lecture in Singapore on papal diplomacy.

"Of course, some regimes don't accept that," he said, without specifying which regimes. "But freedom of religion is not dangerous. On the contrary, it makes a society friendlier, more human."

The key sticking point is what relationship Beijing will allow the Vatican to have with Roman Catholics in China, who were ordered in 1951 to break off relations with the pope. China also refuses to have any contact with governments that have relations with Taiwan, which the mainland claims as part of its territory. The Vatican recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign state.