China congratulated Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany for his being elected the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Wednesday. 

Qin said he learned that two Chinese Catholic groups -- the Catholic Patriotic Association of China and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College -- had sent congratulatory messages and told churches across China to pray for the new Pope as congratulations.

While answering questions from the press on the election, Qin said China is ready to improve relations with the Vatican on the basis of the two principles for China-Vatican relations.

The first is that the Vatican must terminate its so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan and recognize the fact that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing whole China and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.

The second is that Vatican should not interfere in China's internal affairs, including any intervention under the pretext of religious affairs.

"We hope that under the leadership of the new Pope, the Vatican can create favorable conditions for the improvement of China-Vatican relations," the spokesman said.

It is reported that Ratzinger, who was born on April 16, 1927, in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn in southern Germany, took the name Pope Benedict XVI as successor to Pope John Paul II who died on April 2 at the age of 84. 

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2005)