President Tsai supports call for virtuous politics in Pope’s World Day of Peace message
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On 28 January, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent a letter to Pope Francis in response to his message for the 52nd World Day of Peace, supporting his call for good politics in the service of peace and renewed commitment to universal human virtues, the common good and youth cultivation. In his message, the Pope cites the writings of the late Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, who was persecuted and imprisoned without trial for 13 years for his religious beliefs. According to President Tsai, Van Thuan’s courage and dedication are an inspiration the world over: “His experience has given tremendous spiritual encouragement to the people of Taiwan, as it resonates with our country’s predicament and the belief that we have maintained in freedom and democracy.”
In her letter, the President pointed out that China has not relinquished its threat to invade Taiwan and continues to suppress Taiwan’s presence and diminish its status in the international arena. President Tsai said “similar to the French poet Charles Peguy whom Your Holiness refers to, we believe that the spirit of peace will certainly overcome the law of violence,” adding that Peguy’s life shows that human freedom ,equality and dignity are core values that will always supersede the constraints imposed by political ideology.
