Taiwan’s Current Diplomatic Relations

choi

My comment: Regarding both postings in the series. I do not know who is telling the truth. However, I do not foresee Vatican establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing, the chasm being too immense to bridge.

(1) Shih Hsiu-chuan, Official Denies ‘No Pork, No Talk’ Rumor; The foreign affairs minister also dismissed speculation that the nation risks losing six of its allies or that it was dependent on China’s munificence. Taipei TImes, Sept 23, 2014.
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/09/23/2003600380

Note:
(a) For munificence, see munificent (adj; from munificus generous, from munus service, gift):
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/munificence
(b)
(i) alms (n)
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alms
(ii) almsgiving (n): "the making of charitable donations, giving alms"
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/almsgiving

choi

(2) Elaine Hou, Holy See's Representative in Taiwan Says Ties Are 'Excellent.'  Central News Agency, Sept 22, 2014.
focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201409220030.aspx

Note:
(a) “said Monsignor Paul Fitzpatrick Russell, charge d'affaires of the Holy See's apostolic nunciature in Taiwan”

Holy See–Taiwan relations
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_See–Taiwan_relations
(“Holy See maintains a mission in Taipei, headed, since the decision of the United Nations to recognize the Beijing government as the government of China, not by a nuncio but only by a chargé d'affaires”)
(i) apostolic
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apostolic
(ii)  
(A) nuncio (n; Italian, from Latin nuntius messenger, message)
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuncio
(B) nuncio
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuncio
(A nuncio is usually an archbishop)

(b) “The choir [Sistine Chapel Choir, the Pope's personal choir] is scheduled to stage a performance in the National Concert Hall 國家音樂廳 in Taipei on Tuesday [Sept 23], their debut and only show in Taiwan.“
(i) Sistine Chapel Choir
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine_Chapel_Choir
(one of the oldest religious choirs in the world; At present, the choir comprises approximately twenty adult singers (eleven tenors and nine basses) and thirty unpaid boy choristers (sopranos and contraltos)
(ii) Its translation in Taiwan: 梵蒂岡 西斯汀教堂合唱團
(iii)
(A) In English from the official website:
National Theater & Concert Hall, National Performance Arts Center (NPAC)  國家表演藝術中心 國家兩廳院
npac-ntch.org/
(B) In Chinese from Chinese Wikipedia:
國家表演藝術中心
zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/國家表演藝術中心

(c) Hiroshi Ishida, Vatican’s Sistine Chapel Choir Denied Concert in Beijing. Asahi Shimbun, Sept 17, 2014.
ajw.asahi.com/article/asia/china/AJ201409170067
(i) Hiroshi ISHIDA  石田 博士
* 広い(P); 弘い 【ひろい】 (adj): "spacious; vast; wide"
* Usually in a Japanese given name (as here), an adjective is ended with a suffix -shi. However, "shi" itself can also be the Chinese pronunciation of 士.
(ii) PhD in Japan is 博士, pronounced "hakase" or "hakushi" (the latter being Chinese pronunciation).
(A) 博士 【はかせ(P); はくし(P)】 (n): "(usu. はくし [hakushi] ) doctorate; PhD; Dr (as a title); (n) (2) (usu. はかせ [hakase]) expert; learned person"  (I do not see this difference, as in (1) and (2).)
(B) igaku hakase/ igaku hakushi  医学博士 【いがくはかせ; いがくはくし】 (n): "MD; Doctor of Medicine"