Apostolic Nunciature to China
# Apostolic Nunciature to China

The Apostolic Nunciature to China is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the Republic of China. The Republic of China is now more commonly referred to as “Taiwan”. However, as far as the Vatican is concerned, the Republic of China is the state of “China”. The Holy See does not have a diplomatic mission in, or diplomatic relations with, the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Apostolic Nunciature to China is located at 7–1, Lane 265, Heping East Road Section 2, Da'an District, Taipei.

The rank of a nuncio is equivalent to that of an ambassador. The post has been vacant since 1971 when UN Resolution 2758 was passed by which the representatives of the PRC government were recognized as the only legitimate representatives of China. Since then the mission has been headed by a chargé d'affaires.

## History

Efforts by both the Catholic Church and the Chinese government to establish direct contact began in the late Qing dynasty. Direct contact would break the restrictions from the Protectorate of missions of France. The Catholic Church responded to a request by Li Hongzhang of the Qing Empire on 3 May 1870, and established diplomatic ties. The church sent Archbishop Antonio Agliardi to China in early August as plenipotentiary with regard to diplomatic affairs. In July 1918, the Holy See and the Beiyang Government of the Republic of China agreed to send Giuseppe Petrelli and Dai Chenlin as their respective diplomats. However, this did not succeed due to objections from France.

Relations between the Republic of China and the Holy See strengthened in 1922 when Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini was appointed as an Apostolic Delegate to China, although he had no diplomatic status. Official diplomatic ties were established in 1946 when Antonio Riberi assumed office as Apostolic Internuncio to China.

In 1951 Riberi left mainland China following the relocation of the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan. In 1966 the Apostolic Internunciature in China was upgraded to an Apostolic Nunciature. Since then, the Apostolic Nunciature to China sits at Taipei, Taiwan. Giuseppe Caprio became the first Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to China.

On 25 October 1971 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the People's Republic of China as sole representative of China, and the Holy See recalled the Apostolic Nuncio. Since that time, diplomatic affairs have been administered by chargés d'affaires.

## List of representatives

### Apostolic Delegates to China (1922–1946)

In 1922, Father Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini was appointed by the Holy See as Apostolic Delegate to China, without diplomatic status.

| Name | Name in Chinese | Nationality | Assumed office | Left office |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini | 剛恆毅 Gāng Héngyì | Italy | 12 August 1922 | 1933 |
| Mario Zanin | 蔡寧 Cài Níng | Italy | 7 January 1934 | 1946 |

### Apostolic Internuncios to China (1946–1966)

| Name | Name in Chinese | Nationality | Assumed office | Presentation of credentials | Left office |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Antonio Riberi | 黎培理 Lí Péilǐ | Monaco | 6 July 1946 | 28 December 1946 | 1951 |
| The Apostolic Nunciature to China was relocated to Taiwan in 1952 after the People's Republic of China broke off diplomatic ties with the Holy See. |||||||
| Giuseppe Caprio | 高理耀 Gāo Lǐyào | Italy | 20 May 1959 | 29 October 1959 | 24 December 1966 |

### Apostolic Nuncios to China (1966–present)

| Name | Name in Chinese | Nationality | Assumed office | Presentation of credentials | Left office | Diplomatic title |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Giuseppe Caprio | 高理耀 Gāo Lǐyào | Italy | 24 December 1966 | 30 January 1967 | 22 August 1967 | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio |
| Luigi Accogli | 艾可儀 Ài Kěyí | Italy | 16 October 1967 | 23 December 1967 | 29 September 1970 | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio |
| Edward Idris Cassidy | 葛錫迪 Gé Xīdí | Australia | 27 October 1970 | 5 December 1970 | 28 April 1979 | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio |
| The post has been vacant since 25 October 1971, when the nuncio was recalled by the Holy See from Taiwan but maintain its title. Since then, chargés d'affaires have been in charge of de facto Apostolic Nunciature to China. |||||||

**Chargés d'affaires**

| Name | Name in Chinese | Nationality | Assumed office | Left Office |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Francesco Colasuonno | 高樂天 Gāo Lètiān | Italy | 2 August 1972 | 1974 |
| Thomas A. White | 陶懷德 Táo Huáidé | Ireland | 1974 | 1978 |
| Paolo Giglio | 吉立友 Jí Lìyǒu | Malta | 12 July 1978 | 1986 |
| Piero Biggio | 畢齊樂 Bì Qílè | Italy | 6 April 1986 | 1988 |
| Adriano Bernardini | 裴納德 Péi Nàdé | Italy | 17 January 1989 | 1992 |
| Juliusz Janusz | 尤雅士 Yóu Yǎshì | Poland | 25 August 1992 | 1995 |
| Joseph Chennoth | 車納德 Chē Nàdé | India | 26 April 1995 | 1999 |
| Adolfo Tito Yllana | 易福霖 Yì Fúlín | Philippines | 20 September 1999 | 6 January 2002 |
| James Patrick Green | 格霖澤 Gé Línzé | United States | 18 January 2002 | 2003 |
| Ambrose Madtha | 安博思 Ān Bósī | India | 11 February 2003 | 8 May 2008 |
| Paul Fitzpatrick Russell | 陸思道 Lù Sīdào | United States | 8 May 2008 | 19 March 2016 |
| Slađan Ćosić | 高德隆 Gāo Délóng | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 19 March 2016 | 10 August 2019 |
| Arnaldo Sanchez Catalan | 佳安道 Jiā Āndào | Philippines | 10 August 2019 | 31 January 2022 |
| Stefano Mazzotti | 馬德範 Mǎ Défàn | Italy | 19 July 2022 | |
