"In greeting you this evening, dear Chinese artists, the Pope intends to reach out to your entire people, with a special thought for those of your fellow citizens who share faith in Jesus and are united through a particular spiritual bond with the Successor of Peter," he said.
CHINA HAS NOTHING TO FEAR
In what appeared to be a message to China's leaders that they had nothing to fear by better relations, the Pope said the Vatican was a place "where people from all over the world often meet, with their own personal stories and their own culture, all of them welcomed with esteem and affection".
Relations between the Vatican and Beijing have hit low points several times in recent years as the Vatican criticised China for appointing bishops without papal approval.
A main sticking point is the Vatican's relations with Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province. China wants the Vatican to cut the ties.
In his address to the Pope, conductor Yu Long called the night "a glorious moment" of historical significance.
In an interview with Reuters before the concert, Yu saw parallels between the performance and the New York Philharmonic's ice-breaking concert in North Korea in February.
The Pope said religious sentiment, like music "transcends the boundaries of every individual culture". He sent his regards to all Chinese people "as they prepare for the Olympic Games, an event of great importance for the entire human family".
Church sources said before the concert that the Chinese were clearly "shopping for good will" in an effort to improve China's international image, tarnished by recent unrest in Tibet and disruptions of the international leg of the Olympic torch relay.
"I don't think they (the communist government) are doing it out of love for the Pope or love of the Holy See but it will be positive in the end," said one Vatican source familiar with the situation.
