Taiwan's president says war with China 'not an option'

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. [AP Photo]

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen told Pope Francis in a letter that war with China is "not an option" and said constructive interaction with Beijing, which claims the island as part of its territory, depends on respecting self-ruled Taiwan's democracy.

Vatican City is the last European government to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of Beijing, although the United States and other Western nations maintain extensive informal ties. Taiwanese leaders are uneasy about Vatican efforts to develop relations with Beijing.