Beijing (PTI): China on Tuesday said it was willing to conduct "constructive" dialogue with the Vatican to improve relationship but, the Vatican should severe ties with Taiwan and not interfere in its internal affairs.

"We are willing to explore ways of improving relations with the Vatican. We have conducted the contact and are willing to have a constructive dialogue with the Vatican", Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news briefing here.

Liu repeated China's position that the Vatican break its ties with Taiwan and not interfere in China's internal affairs "in the name" of religion.

Based on these two fundamental principles, China was willing for better ties with the Vatican, he added.

Formal diplomatic relations between China and the Vatican broke in 1951 after the Holy Sees diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, which split from the mainland at the end of a civil war in 1941 but is claimed as part of its territory by China.

China reportedly has about eight to 12 million Catholics who are divided in loyalty to the state-run church and the other called "underground" ones which do not accept them and pledge their allegiance to the Pope.

Officially registered Catholics are overseen by the Patriotic Association set up in 1957.