Pope Leo XIV held his inaugural Mass at St. Peter's Square after assuming leadership of the papacy. On June 5, he appointed Lin Yuntuan as auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou, China, based on a bishops’ appointment agreement signed between the Vatican and China in 2018. This action is seen as a continuation of former Pope Francis's diplomatic policy. Scholar Ong Luchung analyzed this appointment on social media, highlighting the unique position of 'Vatican diplomacy' in global order, which naturally draws concern from Taiwan.

Ong pointed out that the Pope's appointment, while continuing the diplomatic legacy of Francis, reflects not just sovereign diplomacy but also concrete representations of 'value diplomacy' and 'spiritual diplomacy'. For Catholicism, the focus is not on politics but on establishing dialogue with China to allow more believers to practice their faith legally, which extends the universal missionary mission of the Holy See.

Despite criticisms regarding compromise and ambiguity, Ong noted that the Holy See considers this the best option under current conditions. From Taiwan's perspective, he emphasized that the Vatican is currently the only European sovereign that has formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, representing a significant moral and spiritual symbol in international relations. Thus, concerns arise that if Vatican-China relations continue to progress, it may mean sacrificing diplomatic ties with Taiwan for the sake of 'the number of believers'. However, Ong stressed that Vatican diplomacy is not based on geopolitical interests; it emphasizes the values of 'peace', 'justice', 'dignity', and 'dialogue', seeking communication possibilities with all regimes while maintaining formal relations with Taiwan, which is not contradictory.

Furthermore, Ong stated that the essence of Vatican diplomacy transcends borders and regimes, not to appease China or ignore Taiwan, but to create spiritual room for faith to breathe. Taiwan should not focus on hindering Vatican-China rapprochement, but rather on how to make the Holy See recognize Taiwan's commitment to democracy, religious freedom, and humanitarian values, as this is the true foundation for maintaining relations. He concluded that if the Pope continues to uphold the spirit of the Holy See 'beyond worldly considerations', then even substantial cooperation with China would not mean abandoning the special friendship with Taiwan.