TAIPEI — Vatican efforts to reach out to Beijing drew support from Taiwan which expressed the hope that the move would improve China's "deteriorating religious freedom and human rights issue."

In Mongolia on a state visit, Pope Francis sent a customary telegram to Chinese President Xi Jinping bearing "greetings of good wishes" as his plane passed over China's airspace.

The Vatican is Taipei's only diplomatic ally in Europe and has no official ties with Beijing, which regards self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary.

"Our country fully respects religious freedom and supports the Holy See's continuous attempts to engage in dialogue with China to resolve the Catholic Church's religious issues in China," Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We hope that Vatican-China exchanges will help improve China's deteriorating religious freedom and human rights issues and realize the ideal of religious liberalization in China."

The Pope has led a years-long effort to build ties with Beijing and in 2018 the Holy See reached a secretive agreement allowing both sides to have a say in appointing bishops in China. The accord was renewed for two years in October.

Beijing responded to the Pope's telegram by saying it wanted to "strengthen mutual trust" with the Vatican and that the Pope's words "reflect friendship and goodwill."

As the Pope flew over China and nine other countries, traditional telegrams were sent. The visit to Mongolia, Francis' 43rd in his decade as Pope, is also crucial in keeping the door open for improved Vatican-Beijing relations.

However, improved relations with China could be problematic for Taiwan, which has lost nine diplomatic allies to Beijing since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016.

Only 13 countries in the world officially recognize Taipei over Beijing.

 With AFP