“China is sincere about improving relations with Vatican and we have been making relentless efforts to that end,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media briefing here.
We would like to open communication lines between the two sides and work together with the Vatican to press ahead with the improvement of the relationship, he said replying to a question that Pope Francis is pushing for better relations with China.
Relations between the two remained frosty for decades as the Communist nation was cagy about permitting Papal authority over the churches and Christian community in China.
“We also hope that Vatican will take flexible and practical attitude to create favourable condition to improve the relationship,” Lu said. Recent reports said both the Pope and the Chinese President Xi Jinping had made efforts to improve relations.
The ruling party of China has remained largely atheist and discourages its members from practicing any religion though it permits practice of religion in general. Christianity has taken deep roots in the country in recent decades.