President Tsai Ing-wen recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 56th World Day of Peace.
The following is the full text of the president's letter to the pope:
In response to his message for the 56th World Day of Peace, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church recently received a letter from President Tsai Ing-wen.
The complete text of the president's letter to the pope is as follows:
Your Holiness,
In the speech for the 2023 World Day of Peace described the violence to a virus for which a cure has not yet been discovered, urged collaboration to mend a world torn by war and a pandemic, and emphasized the necessity of creating policies that are migrant-friendly. We strongly agree with your points of view.
The conflict that broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February of last year has shown how important peace is to humanity. National leaders now have a fundamental premise that maintaining regional security is important. In my 2022 National Day speech, I emphasized that armed conflict is definitely not an option and that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait serve as the foundation for the growth of cross-strait relations. I made it quite clear that the only basis for restarting fruitful communication across the Taiwan Strait can be established by respecting the Taiwanese people's dedication to our sovereignty, democracy, and freedom.
Taiwanese citizens are acutely aware of how brutal conflict can be. Our civil society gave more than $30 million in dollars and 650 tons of supplies in March of last year to help the millions of Ukrainian refugees who had been uprooted by war. In order to assist Ukrainians through these difficult times, our government gave aid to hospitals, churches, and schools in collaboration with local governments and civil society organizations in Ukraine. In order to directly respond to Your Holiness's call for assistance in caring for refugees and other vulnerable peoples in your encyclical Fratelli tutti, we will work with like-minded nations to support Ukraine's reconstruction efforts.
The lesson we have learnt from the pandemic over the past three years is that no one can be saved alone, as Your Holiness emphasized. Since viruses have no national boundaries and health is a fundamental human right, neither its enjoyment nor denial should be based on anyone's race, religion, politics, economic status, or any other characteristic.
The National Health Insurance program was established in Taiwan in 1995 to guarantee that every citizen has an equal entitlement to medical care. Taiwan gives its all in the international sphere, delivering masks and safety gear and giving the poor and defenseless material aid. In order to present the world with a better Taiwan, we are committed to building an island of resilience.
Despite Taiwan's continued exclusion from the World Health Organization, we are certain that our contributions as a powerful force for good will contribute to the establishment of a positive cycle. We fervently hope that the WHO's vision of universal health can be realized in the near future.
Climate change is a significant problem that the world is currently facing. Taiwan is making steady progress toward its 2050 net-zero emissions target. We will work with the Holy See on a number of environmental projects, such as encouraging smart agriculture, solar energy systems, and electric vehicles, in response to Your Holiness's encyclical Laudato si'.
Taiwan has more than a million new immigrants or their offspring. Our government aspires to reflect Your Holiness' concern for immigrants through broadly inclusive immigration policies and a respect for various ethnic groups by helping newcomers integrate into Taiwan society through education and by planning events that make it easier for their cultural heritage to be passed down.
Pope Francis of the Catholic Church Picture reproduced from Vatican News
The Republic of China and the Holy See's diplomatic ties reached their 80th anniversary last year. In an art exhibit titled Friendly Taiwan meets Fratelli tutti, the R.O.C. Embassy to the Holy See displayed traditional calligraphy with passages from the Bible and Your Holiness' encyclicals. In recognition of the innumerable acts of kindness carried out by clergy while serving in Taiwan, the Embassy also hosted a symposium on "Beautiful Taiwan, the Field of God," which was a touching testament to the unwavering friendship between our two countries.
Even when there is darkness around, light still shines through. Taiwan wants to be a beacon in the world and will collaborate closely with the Holy See to build a society that is more just and peaceful for all people.
Your Holiness, please accept my warmest wishes for your continued health and the growth of the Catholic Church as well as my reaffirmed pledges of my greatest regard.
