Taiwan former Vice President Chen to attend Pope’s funeral

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s former Vice President Chen Chien-jen will attend Pope Francis’ funeral, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, adding that he will go as the envoy of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.

Taiwan said in April that it would send envoys of the “appropriate level” to the funeral given the deep friendship between the island and the Vatican. The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to maintain formal relations with diplomatically isolated Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei, writing by Farah Master in Hong Kong; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)