If I was the Pope, first visit would be to Taiwan.

As reported on April 21, and get this, understand it:

BEIJING China wasted little time before warning the new pope, Benedict XVI, on Wednesday that the Vatican and China could establish formal relations only if the Vatican dissolved its diplomatic links with Taiwan and promised not to "interfere in China's internal affairs."

The statement signaled that China was unlikely to make any concessions soon that would open the way for formal ties between China and the Vatican

Beijing warns new pope about ties with Taiwan

Don't forget, because of thse reasonings, mainly the Taiwan issue, cause the Chinese are doing an exceptional job in tearing apart the Chinese Christians within China, the Chinese did not send even an envoy to Pope John Paul II's funeral:
China Won't Send Envoy to Pope's Funeral
China's Underground Church Mourns a Pope Who Never Visited

Most of China's estimated 12-15 million Catholics worship underground, and many leaders have been imprisoned.

The message is clear, concise, and direct in action: freedom of religion, other than 'state sanctioned and approved, is and will be suppressed and eradicated. "Religion is nothing but the Opium of the masses," and it seems that China has taken this dictum to heart as well as into action.
Religious persecutions will continue, but for China, they won't re-establish diplomatic relations with the Vatican due to its pro-Taiwan stance....

Shame I am not the current Pope, cause my FIRST and immediate visit would be to Taiwan, then onwards to Tibet.

Thoughts or comments or simply continue to dismiss?





seekerof

[edit on 23-4-2005 by Seekerof]

Excellent idea. This where someone like the Pope really does come in handy. He's a world figure who can bring a lot of focus on something, yet doesn't have to worry about economic or military retaliations against his country. It would be analagous to JPII visiting Poland during the cold war.

Err... then it's good for Catholocism that your not the Pope.

Jeez, visit Taiwan and alienate 1 billion people in China, Taiwan is not a CCP issue, it's a Chinese issue, the CCP has nothing to do with it.

The pope has every right to vist Taiwan should he choose to do so. While I dislike reglion it dosnt change the fact that very person has a right to freedom of religion.
Seekerof you dont actually think that the world cares about Tibet do you?
There is no reason for the world to care about Tibet has little known natuarl resouces and no influnce on the region.

[edit on 23-4-2005 by xpert11]

Tibet is a major source of activism across the World. They are fairly peaceful Buddhist peoples who succumbed to foreign rule by the Chinese not too long ago. There was a period of time not too long ago where they were banned from even practicing their religion. As well, Tibet is a region of its own, so obviously they do have influence.

You may want to read up on Tibet.

They are fairly peaceful Buddhist peoples who succumbed to foreign rule by the Chinese not too long ago.

When was the last time Tibet had any influence on world events? Im not talking about activists protesting Im talking about international relations.
Proof that Tibet never had any influnce can be found in the fact the UN did nothing in 1949 When China invaded.
Tibets self imposed isolation preserved the countries culture but sadly proved to be its downfall.

Originally posted by xpert11
When was the last time Tibet had any influence on world events? Im not talking about activists protesting Im talking about international relations.
Proof that Tibet never had any influnce can be found in the fact the UN did nothing in 1949 When China invaded.
Tibets self imposed isolation preserved the countries culture but sadly proved to be its downfall.

Sorry, I don't see your point. I thought activism of their affairs was influence on the world events. By the way, do you see how popular their Dalai Lama's are? I mean, who hasn't heard of these lines of spiritual leaders. As well, China had self-imposed isolation up until not very long ago. In fact, this was their downfall during the Colonialism period. Once again, what's your point about Tibet? They are an important place to many people. Maybe not you, but then, why not just say it's your opinion, not the world's.

The fact is your wrong trying to speak for the rest of the world on the issue of Tibet.

By the way, do you see how popular their Dalai Lama's are? I mean, who hasn't heard of these lines of spiritual leaders.

When was the last time the Dalai Lama was at an internatonal confernce ? For example you dont see the Dalai Lama at Free trade talks.
When was the last time a world leader visted Tibet?

Once again, what's your point about Tibet? They are an important place to many people.

Tibet is important to me but that dosnt mean that world leaders give a toss about Tibet you dont see Bush talking about freedom for Tibet do you?



[edit on 23-4-2005 by xpert11]

www.hvk.org...
www.cnn.com...
news.bbc.co.uk...

Looks like he is still very much in the news.

news.google.com...

Bush met with him a few times.

archives.cnn.com... www.tibet.ca...

Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II

www.cwnews.com...
www.tibet.com...

I could provide many more links about who the Dalai Lama is meeting, but I think you get the point.

Here's one more about Rice showing extensive US efforts to reconcile Tibet and China from April 20.

www.savetibet.org...

This is so stupid on part of the Chinese, they are threatening the Pope OMFG can you get more desperate.
While I am not a religious person I know that the Pope has a lot of influence on people. And If he visits Taiwan there is nothing China can do about it.

I think China needs a little education in populus. There are 1.3 billion chinese citizens. And while not all are Catholic, they would all back the Pope if such a thing happened. There are 2.0 billion Christians in this world. Not to mention backed by the EU, and the US, China would fall fast. But maybe that is because I'm tired.





EDIT-Took out dumb comment.

[edit on 23-4-2005 by Ryanp5555]

Jamuhn your missing the point it dosnt matter that Dalai Lama appears in Newspapers. Im sure Bush as met alot of world leaders but that dosnt change the fact that the US is mostly talk when it comes to Tibet.
Its the same story with fighting poverty in Africa you hear and hear about it but nothing happens.


Bush has been pushing Middle East reform at best Tibet is a blimp on the radar. Until China ends its occupation of Tibet I dont see how the country will influence world affairs given that the shrit on Bushes back is made in China I doubt Tibet will be "liberated" anytime soon.

I personaly hate the catholic religion, although i think the pope should be allowed to travel where ever he wants, and the same goes for ever person on this planet.
Although i doubt the pope will go to taiwan, as i can see the chinese knocking off the pope if he does.....which would lead to ww3.
So i think its better if the pope just sits in the vatican untill he dies in the not to far future.

China is threatening the Pope....I would personally love to see the Vatican invade China because of that hehe ratio of around 1:1,000,000 in china's favour

Originally posted by Jamuhn
Sorry, I don't see your point. I thought activism of their affairs was influence on the world events. By the way, do you see how popular their Dalai Lama's are? I mean, who hasn't heard of these lines of spiritual leaders. As well, China had self-imposed isolation up until not very long ago.

Why stop at Tibet, why not liberate the American Indians from the Americans?

xpert is true in this case, Tibet has very little going for it in this world, the only thing it has is Uranium. Tibet has no oil, coal, gas, or whatever. In fact, China is channelling huge sums of money from Shanghai, Guangzhou to Tibet and Xinjiang.

Shanghai alone accounts for 1/6 of the total Chinese GDP.

Originally posted by rapier28
Why stop at Tibet, why not liberate the American Indians from the Americans?

Look guy. I made no mention of liberating anyone. The only statement I was addressing was that Tibet is unimportant to the world. One of the world's religious leaders if Tibetan, so please, if you have your own opinion, just say that, and stop trying to speak for the world.

Tibet has about as much oil and natural resources as Zimbabwe: 0. And no one seems to care about either, as both are being oppresed by a larger force: China oppresses Tibet and Mugabe is slowly eviscerating the Zimbabwe standard of living. Look on the other hand at Israel: stategic position in Middle East and lots of weapons: nukes, AK's, RPG's, and the likes.
You simply have to offer the world something in order to get something in return. Tawain, though small, is a rather large trading partner with the US, which is why China is hesitant about a Tawain invasion.

Originally posted by ArchangelOfCool
China is threatening the Pope....I would personally love to see the Vatican invade China because of that

hehe ratio of around 1:1,000,000 in china's favour

actually it's more like 1:1,000,000,000

actually it is more like 1:1.3 if we define it as catholics vs. china. but that would be a bunch of pacifists going against China, wouldn't stand a chance.

Originally posted by Lucretius

Originally posted by ArchangelOfCool
China is threatening the Pope....I would personally love to see the Vatican invade China because of that

hehe ratio of around 1:1,000,000 in china's favour

actually it's more like 1:1,000,000,000

lol - Would be a bit of a one sided battle.