CARDINAL ZEN OPTIMISTIC ON SINO-VATICAN RELATIONS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 001362

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2031
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL HK CH
SUBJECT: CARDINAL ZEN OPTIMISTIC ON SINO-VATICAN RELATIONS;
CONTINUES TO SPEAK OUT ON DEMOCRACY


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Classified By: E/P Chief Simon Schuchat. Reasons: 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) Summary: On March 30, newly appointed Cardinal Joseph
Zen Ze-kiun said he was optimistic about the restoration of
ties between the Holy See and Beijing. According to Zen, the
Pope had made clear that he wanted to visit the mainland.
During a special Vatican ceremony for the new cardinals on
March 27, Zen introduced former Chairman of the Democratic
Party Martin Lee and Next Media founder Jimmy Lai to the
Pope. The inclusion of Lee, a prominent symbol of Hong
Kong's democracy movement, and Lai, a prominent proponent of
press freedom, in Zen's delegation to the Vatican has stirred
up debate over the role of Cardinal Zen in Hong Kong politics
and as an advisor to the Pope on Sino-Vatican relations. A
March 29 "Ming Pao" editorial expressed concern that Zen's
actions may have harmed the city's democracy movement and the
Sino-Vatican relationship by linking the two issues. One
Catholic contact told us that the democrat and the publisher
traveled to the Vatican out of personal friendship with Zen,
rather than any political motivations. End Summary.

Zen Optimistic on Sino-Vatican Relations
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2. (SBU) On March 30, one day after returning from the
Vatican, newly appointed Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun held a
press conference and said he was optimistic about the
restoration of ties between the Holy See and Beijing.
According to Zen, the Pope had made clear that he wanted to
visit the mainland and held out the possibility of a trip
before official relations were established. However, Zen
said that the Vatican had made clear to the central
government that it would have to "guarantee real religious
freedoms" before the Vatican would consider normalizing
relations. The Vatican Foreign Minister Giovanni Lajolo told
the "South China Morning Post" on March 25 that the "time is
ripe" for the two sides to establish diplomatic relations.
In response to these overtures, PRC Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Qin Gang said on March 30, "We hope the Vatican
side can take real actions to create a good atmosphere and
favorable conditions for the bettering of ties." Qin also
raised China's requirements that the Vatican break official
ties with Taiwan and not interfere in China's internal
affairs.

A Cardinal, a Democrat and a Publisher
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3. (C) As predicted, Pope Benedict asked Zen to remain in
Hong Kong and head the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese. While
Cardinal Zen will certainly play a role in Sino-Vatican
relations, there had been local speculation that Cardinal Zen
might play a more diplomatic, low profile role in the
democracy movement. However, this speculation quickly turned
out to be wishful thinking on the part of pro-Beijing groups.
On March 27, Zen and the 14 other new cardinals had an
opportunity to introduce their family and friends to the Pope
at a special Vatican audience. The Hong Kong delegation
included former Chairman of the Democratic Party Martin Lee
and Next Media founder and "Apple Daily" Publisher Jimmy Lai.
(Note: The Cardinal is close to Lee and Lai, who are both
devout Catholics. Moreover, our contacts have told us that
Zen baptized Lai, who is a Catholic convert, and that Lee is
Lai's godfather. End Note.) After the ceremony, Lee told
the media that Zen introduced him to the Pope as a
"legislator fighting for democracy in Hong Kong" to which the
Pope said, "Do continue." Lee urged the Pope to pray for
religious freedom in China. Lai reportedly told the Pope,
"Please come to China and bring us love and democracy." In
response to Lai's invitation, the Pope said, "I will come."


4. (C) The inclusion of Lee, a prominent symbol of Hong
Kong's democracy movement, and Lai, a prominent proponent of
press freedom, in Zen's delegation to the Vatican has stirred
up debate over the role of Cardinal Zen in Hong Kong politics
and as an advisor to the Pope on Sino-Vatican relations. A
March 29 "Ming Pao" editorial expressed concern that Zen's
actions may have harmed the city's democracy movement and the
prospects for Sino-Vatican normalization by linking the two
issues. The paper stated that while Zen's invitation to his
two friends may have helped mobilize Catholics in the fight
for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, but "the price for that
may be Beijing's deepened misgivings." Citing Poland and the
Philippines, the author states, "religious leaders'
involvement contributed to changes of government. However,
such a situation in Hong Kong would be extremely
dangerous...We call on the Cardinal to put aside Hong Kong

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affairs soon so that he can assist the Pope in a detached
capacity and help bring about formal ties between China and
the Vatican. He should not wear two hats at the same time.
He must try not to mix matters concerning human rights,
justice and democracy in Hong Kong into Sino-Vatican
diplomatic negotiations."


5. (SBU) Media coverage of the Zen's elevation was split
along expected political lines. "Apple Daily's" coverage of
Zen's elevation has been positive and glowing, while the
pro-Beijing "Wen Wei Po" had no original reporting of Zen's
trip to Rome. Instead, "Wen Wei Po" printed a summary of the
"Ming Pao" editorial. Charles Ho, the Chairman of Sing Tao
Newspaper Corporation, joked about Lai's invitation to the
Pope to visit China during a March 29 award ceremony saying,
"I recently heard that a certain newspaper owner invited the
Pope to China...Who does this guy think he is, to invite
someone home, without asking the owners of the house?" The
"Oriental Daily" and "The Sun," however, did not report on
Cardinal Zen's trip to Rome. (Note: Both newspapers are the
only non-PRC supported papers with websites freely accessible
in China. End Note.)


6. (C) Father Peter Barry, a researcher at the Holy Spirit
Study Center (HSSC) told poloff on March 30 that analysts
should not read motives into Lee and Lai's trip to Rome.
Most likely, the democrat and the publisher traveled to Rome
out of friendship with Zen. Besides, said Barry, Zen merely
provided the Holy Father with context when introducing the
two men, mentioning that both Lee and Lai were involved in
Hong Kong's democracy movement. Chinese University of Hong
Kong professor Joseph Cheng told us on March 30 that
pro-Beijing groups initially did not know how to react to
Zen's elevation. However, after Liu Bainian, Vice Chairman
of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association called Zen's
appointment as Cardinal a "hostile act" against China on
March 8, Hong Kong's traditional leftists began to openly
criticize Zen. Cheng said it was significant that the "Ming
Pao" had taken such a high profile approach in criticizing
Zen.

Don't Sacrifice Taiwan, Urges Pro-Taiwan Trade Union
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7. (SBU) Separately, on March 31, the Hong Kong and Kowloon
Trade Union Council, a pro-Taiwan trade union, presented a
petition to the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, urging the
Vatican to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan and not
to sacrifice an ally. The Catholic Diocese scheduled a
meeting for the trade union to meet with Cardinal Zen.
Cunningham