'1992 consensus' recognized as key to cross-strait peace: MAC
ROC Central News Agency
2016/03/06 13:06:23
Taipei, March 6 (CNA) Taiwan has reaffirmed that the '1992 consensus' and 'one China, different interpretations' are the key to institutionalized talks and interactions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait after Chinese leaders made similar remarks stressing Beijing will adhere to the consensus as a political foundation.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the Cabinet-level agency responsible for China policy, made the reaffirmation in a statement released late Saturday, in which it also explained that the core of the consensus is to reflect the sovereignty of the Republic of China.
'The mainland should face up to the cross-strait reality of separate rule, so that it can truly respect and understand Taiwanese people's feelings and views,' the MAC statement said.
Only with such an attitude can cross-strait relations be developed pragmatically in the future, it added.
The MAC statement came after Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) made clear China's Taiwan policy in Beijing Saturday, the first day of an annual session of the National People's Congress.
Joining representatives from Shanghai during the session, Xi warned against Taiwan independence, and said that China's policy toward Taiwan is 'clear and consistent, and it will not change with the change in Taiwan's political situation,' according to a report by the Xinhua news agency, Beijing's mouthpiece.
Xi was referring to the victory of Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party in the presidential election in January.
'We will adhere to the 1992 Consensus as a political foundation, and continuously advance the peaceful development of cross-strait ties,' Xi was quoted as saying in the Xinhua report.
Tsai and her party do not recognize the '1992 consensus,' which the Kuomintang government says is a consensus reached in talks held in 1992 that there is only one China, with each side free to interpret its meaning.
Xi said the consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-strait ties and is the basis for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations in the long term.
He also said that 'we will resolutely contain 'Taiwan independence' secessionist activities in any form,' Xinhua reported.
Li for his part also made a statement reiterating China's consistent stance on cross-strait ties when delivering a working report for 2016 to the fourth session of the National People's Congress.
He said China will safeguard its national sovereignty, while at the same time using a softer tone to describe the two sides of the Taiwan Strait as being 'as close as one family.'
On Sunday, Chen Deming (陳德銘), president of the Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), called Xi's remarks against Taiwan independence 'a complete statement,' which he said is necessary in this 'critical phase' of cross-strait ties.
China has never changed its discourse on the '1992 consensus' or its basic political stance, Chen said in response to media questions before attending the second-day session of the National People's Congress.
He said Xi's statement on Saturday 'lets the people of the two sides of the strait clearly know our political bottom line.'
The ARATS is an intermediary body founded by Beijing to handle cross-strait affairs with Taiwan in the absence of formal ties.
(By Chen Chia-lun, Lawrence Chiu and Elizabeth Hsu)
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