Rapporté par le journal de centre-gauche Washington Post, certains signes d'amélioration des relations entre la Chine populaire et le Vatican, dont les relations diplomatiques sont rompues depuis 1951, et qui se cristallisent autour de la question taïwanaise.

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong, the senior Roman Catholic cleric in China, said the Vatican's readiness to drop ties with Taiwan represents a major gain for the Chinese government and is the main motive for Beijing's decision to soften hostility toward the church. Other analysts noted that the reconciliation talks also fit into a broad effort by China to establish normal trade and other relations with countries around the world, including heavily Catholic nations in Central America whose diplomatic loyalties now lie with Taiwan.