Entire island mourns John Paul II. In an official message, President Chen praised him as “a great religious leader”.

Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Taiwan yesterday lowered its official flags to half-mast to show respect to the late Pope John Paul II. In his condolence message to the Vatican, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian praised the Pope as one of the greatest religious leaders in the world. "The world has lost a great religious leader," said Mr Chen in his message "He will always be remembered for his lifelong efforts to seek peace and happiness for all mankind."

Mr Chen mentioned a reception by the late Pope for First Lady Wu Shu-chen when she visited the Vatican in July 2003. He pointed out how the Pope set aside time to receive the wheelchair-bound first lady despite his condition. "It was a touching moment for all Taiwanese people to remember when the two shook hands from their wheelchairs," he said.

The Pope told Ms Wu, who went to the Vatican on behalf of Mr Chen to congratulate the pontiff on his 25th inauguration anniversary, that cross-strait peace could only be achieved through truth, justice, benevolence and freedom.

The Pope never visited Taiwan, although he visited 129 countries, including Taiwan's neighbour, Japan, during his 26 years in office. Holy See is Taipei's only country in Europe, who recognize Taiwan and has diplomatic issues with the island. Chen Chih-pin, the opposition People First Party's whip in the legislature, yesterday called on the government to do all it could to consolidate Taiwan's official relations with the Vatican, one of the island's 26 diplomatic allies. Foreign Ministry spokesman Michel Lu Ching-lung said yesterday that Taiwan's relations with the Vatican were firm and the Holy See treasured its relations with the island. He said the president would send an envoy to the Pope's funeral.

But an anonimous source at the ministry said Taiwan-Vatican ties did not hinge on the Pope. "Rather, they hinge on [mainland] China, which has insisted appointments of bishops be made by the Catholic Church in China instead of the Vatican."

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