VATICAN CITY (UCAN) -- The Holy See has reaffirmed it wants "a respectful and constructive dialogue" with China "in line with indications expressed by the Pope" in his May 2007 letter to Catholics in mainland China.

A one-page press communique the Holy See Press office released on March 13 says the Commission for the Church in China reiterated this position at its March 10-12 meeting in the Vatican.

Observers see significance in this, even though the communique does not mention any other specific conclusion, because the January 2007 Vatican summit on the Church in China had asked for this kind of dialogue, as Pope Benedict XVI did in his letter.

The fact that the commission chose to "reiterate" this wish suggests it feels the current interaction between the Holy See and China is still not at the level the Vatican would like.

Pope Benedict established the commission in 2007 "to study the most important questions concerning the life of the Church in China."

The just-concluded meeting, its first, was held behind closed doors in the Vatican under the chairmanship of Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

Around the table sat more than 15 Vatican officials, most at a senior level; five bishops including both cardinals from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; and nine 'experts on the Church in China' from a number of Religious congregations.

No participant from mainland China attended the meeting.

The "theme" for the meeting, according to the press statement, was "the Letter which the Holy Father sent to Chinese Catholics on 27 May 2007."

Participants "first examined the reaction" to the letter from "both inside and outside China," it said. But it gave no indication of how the "open" or "underground" Church communities or authorities in mainland China reacted, or how the letter was received elsewhere. It is understood, nonetheless, that such information was presented at the meeting, where "in the light of the pontifical document, participants exchanged information and experiences concerning the life and activity of the Church in China".

Participants "reflected on the theological principles that inspired the Letter in order to comprehend the future prospects they bring for the Catholic community in China," the communique reported.

"In concrete terms, in the light of various paragraphs of the papal text," the statement says in Italian, "consideration was given to certain important aspects regarding the Church's mission as 'instrument of salvation' for the Chinese people." The press office also released an English version.

The statement identified five "important aspects regarding" this mission. These are understood to have served as general topics at the meeting, and a number of specific items that correspond to each of them can be found in the papal letter. But the Vatican did not offer any information about the nature of the discussion around these topics. It lists them as:

• Evangelization in a world experiencing globalization;
• The application, in China's current situation, of the Vatican Council II doctrine on the nature and structure of the Church;
• Forgiveness and reconciliation within the Catholic community;
• The requirements of truth and charity;
• The government of dioceses, which has great relevance for pastoral activity and for the formation of priests, seminarians, Religious and lay faithful.

The Vatican communique reports that the Commission "concluded with a meeting with the Holy Father." It says he "listened to a brief report of the work accomplished over the three days" and "encouraged the participants to continue their commitment in favor of the Catholic community in China." It adds that he "also mentioned" the upcoming Universal Day of Prayer for the Church in China, which will be held on May 24.

Sources say he stayed a short time at the meeting, spoke and greeted people, much as he had done at the summit meeting on the Church in China in January 2007.

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