American Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new Pope, taking the title Leo XIV. How his American background and years of missionary experience in Peru will influence the future direction of the Vatican, as well as how he will manage relations with both sides of the Taiwan Strait, has become a focus of international attention.
White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on Thursday (May 8th). The Conclave of Cardinals elected 69-year-old American Cardinal Robert Prevost as the 267th Pope at its meeting on the second day. His name will be Pope Leo XIV (translated as Pope Leo XIV in mainland China), making him the first American Pope of the Catholic Church.
In his first speech after being elected, Leo XIV paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, thanked the cardinals who supported him, and said that the Church would walk with everyone in the pursuit of peace and justice, calling on everyone to unite and build bridges to achieve peace.
US President Trump immediately sent congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, expressing his honor at the birth of the first American pope and expressing his hope to meet with him. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday (May 9) that President Lai Ching-te had instructed the Chinese Embassy in Taiwan to convey a congratulatory message to the new pope, emphasizing Taiwan's desire to continue working with the Holy See in the pursuit of peace and justice. The Catholic Church in China, known as the "One Association and One Group," also sent a congratulatory message on the same day, congratulating Pope Leo XIV on his election as Pope.
Leo XIV's victory over the pro-China favorite is a new Vatican statement on Sino-Vatican relations.
Zhang Mengren, chair of the Department of Italian Language and Literature at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, stated that Leo XIV was appointed by the late Pope Francis as Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, responsible for the appointment of bishops. Before his transfer to Rome, he served extensively in the Peruvian diocese. He believes he will continue Francis's path of focusing on the rights of the poor and workers and upholding fairness and justice. Zhang Mengren stated that while it is unclear what Leo XIV's stance on cross-strait issues is, his election, over Pietro Parolin, another top contender for the papacy, also reflects the Vatican's perspective on Sino-Vatican relations.
