Taipei, April 3 (CNA) The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) needs to understand the content of Beijing's "one China" principle before considering to reopen talks with the mainland under the current framework, a ranking DPP official said on Monday.
Hsiao Bi-khim, director of the DPP's International Affairs Department, said the DPP may not rule out the possibility of accepting Beijing's demands to rekindle talks under the "one China principle," but added that it first must gain a deeper understanding of the "one China" framework drafted by Beijing.
Hsiao made the remarks in response to recent media reports that mainland China is willing to reopen negotiations with Taiwan if Taiwan accepts the "one China" principle agreed upon by both sides in 1992 -- there is only "one China" in the world, but the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can have its own interpretation of the meaning of the term.
Pointing out that the reports about Beijing's stance were very encouraging to the DPP, she said the top priority for Taiwan and mainland China at present is to build mutual trust and strengthen bilateral communication in order to lay a sound foundation for future exchanges.
The DPP will become Taiwan's ruling party after President-elect Chen Shui-bian is inaugurated as the Republic of China's tenth president on May 20.
Chen's victory in the March 18 presidential election brought an end to the Kuomintang's five-decade long rule in Taiwan.
Echoing remarks made by Chen, Hsiao went on to say that the DPP views the "one China" principle as an issue which requires further discussion by both sides to see whether it would produce any benefit for people on the two sides across the Taiwan Strait.
Hsiao also expressed the hope that both Taiwan and mainland China can be more flexible in exchanging opinions so as to find common ground to compromise and conciliate.
Turning to the "special state-to-state relationship" theory aired by President Lee Teng-hui in July 1999 to describe the links between the two sides, Hsiao reiterated that the theory is just a description of the current status-quo between Taiwan and mainland China and that the DPP will not amend the Constitution to include it.
American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Richard Bush, the leading US liaison official in charge of the United States' dealings with Taiwan, also suggested at a Saturday seminar in Dallas that both Taiwan and the mainland should try to find new terms acceptable to both in order to serve as a foundation to restart bilateral talks. (By Flor Wang)
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