Pope Leo XIV held his inauguration Mass at St. Peter's Square on May 18 and appointed Lin Yuntuan as auxiliary bishop of the Fuzhou diocese on June 5, based on the bishop appointment agreement signed between the Vatican and China in 2018. This is seen as a continuation of the foreign policy of the late Pope Francis. Scholar Ong Lu-Chung analyzed this appointment, highlighting the unique position of Holy See diplomacy in the global order and Taiwan's understandable concern regarding this trend.

Ong noted that while the Pope's appointment of the Chinese bishop appears to continue Pope Francis's diplomatic legacy, it is not simply a matter of sovereignty diplomacy but also reflects the essence of value diplomacy and spiritual diplomacy. For the Catholic Church, the focus of this appointment is not political; rather, it emphasizes expanding the space for faith within the country—an extension of the Holy See's universal missionary mission.

From Taiwan's perspective, the Vatican is currently the only European sovereign entity that has formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and thus this dynamic naturally raises concerns within Taiwanese society. Ong pointed out that the values emphasized by the Vatican—'peace,' 'justice,' 'dignity,' and 'dialogue'—do not contradict maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan while cooperating with China on bishop appointments. The core issue for Taiwan should be how to make the Holy See more aware of its commitment to democracy, religious freedom, and humanitarian values.

In conclusion, Ong summarized that even if substantial cooperation with China occurs, if the Pope can uphold the spirit of the Holy See that transcends worldly considerations, the unique friendship between Taiwan and the Holy See may remain intact. Expressing concern is natural, as we are all human.