Diplomacy and Divided Nations: The Holy See’s Approach to China and Taiwan

The diplomacy of the Holy See (the Vatican) is among the most puzzling subjects in post-Westphalian history. While the entity itself lacks the capacity to exercise its sovereign power through coercion, the durability and prevalence of the Roman Catholic Church have given the Holy See influence over great power politics and allowed it to shape the international relations through active diplomacy in humanitarianism, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and global governance, particularly within the framework of the United Nations. With a vast number of followers, properties, and spiritual principles to defend without any standing army, the diplomacy of the Holy See has experienced a constant struggle between morality and realist politics, and it is important to better understand what has guided these difficult decisions. This study will tackle the question by surveying the issue of divided nations, which are often torn apart by difficult circumstances such as civil wars, ethnic conflicts, ideological divisions, and great power politics. Taiwan and China represent a particularly complicated challenge for the Holy See. A closer look at their history from 1947 until today can help decode the fundamental principles and methods of the Holy See’s diplomacy and provide valuable insights into the theories of international relations.