The Chinese government has asked the
new Pope to maintain a "practical and flexible" attitude. Beijing has joined the international community in congratulating after the election of Cardinal Bergoglio the throne of Peter, but reiterated its eternal request to the Vatican to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not interfere "with the excuse of religion" in the internal affairs the country.
The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Hua Chunying, declared: "We hope that with the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican will adopt a practical and flexible attitude, that will allow it to create the conditions for improving relations between China and the Vatican."
However, he immediately added, "the new Pope must cut the so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan recognizing the Chinese government as the sole legal representative of the whole of China and should not interfere, using the excuse of religion, in the internal affairs of the country."
This is the eternal refrain of the Chinese government, which it uses to justify its closure to any form of diplomatic relations with the Holy See.
On the other hand, Beijing considers the appointment of bishops "an internal affair" and then uses them as a tool to try to manipulate the life of the local Church.
At present there are about 12 million Catholics in China, for the most part in the northern province of Hebei.
The Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal John Tong, was the first Chinese - resident in the country - to vote in a conclave.