PEKING China Reuter: A top Chinese leader has told the Vatican to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan recognize Peking as the only legal government o (China and stop interfering in internal affairs an official newspaper said.
The China daily quoted Xi Zhongxun a member of the ruling Poitburo as telling more than 200 Chinese Catholic leaders in the Great Hall of the People that the Catholic church in China must remain independent of the Vatcan.
An estimated three million Chinese belong to the officially sponsored Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association which broke with the Pope and appoints its own bishops.
Xi said the Vatican must respect the principle of self-government of the Catholic Church in China. He did not say what form Vatican interference took.
The official press has said more than 1900 Catholic churches have opened in China since 1980 when there was just one and the country new has seven Seminaries and 12 Convents.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 5, 1986
