TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s new Ambassador to the Holy See, Anthony Ho (賀忠義), arrived in Rome Friday just after the Catholic Church elected Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.

The Vatican is the country’s only diplomatic ally in Europe, with government and politicians in Taiwan voicing the hope that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) will be able to attend the papal inauguration. He sent former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the April 26 funeral of Pope Francis.

Arriving at Rome’s airport, Ho told reporters that Taiwan and the Vatican shared similar values, per CNA. They were close partners in the past, the present, and will be in the future too, he added.

The new ambassador said he was also taking good wishes from the president with him to the Holy See. Lai on Friday congratulated the new pontiff, adding he hoped for a deepening of Taiwan-Vatican ties. Ho said that as a Catholic he was also greeting Pope Leo on behalf of the Church and its leaders and members in Taiwan.

The diplomat will only be able to take up his new post after presenting his credentials to the Holy See. As a new pontiff has only just been elected, arrangements for the credential ceremony are still being made, Ho told reporters. He is succeeding Matthew Lee (李世明), who had served at the Holy See since 2015.