To signal its opposition to the Vatican's invitation of President Chen to attend the Pope's funeral, the mainland Chinese government declined to send an envoy to Rome and threatened to take retaliatory diplomatic steps.
另一方面，中國大陸為了抗議教廷邀請陳總統參加教宗追思彌撒，拒絕派代表出席，並揚言展開外交報復。