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U.S. asks Taiwan, China to show flexibility

ROC Central News Agency

2016/05/19 17:54:29

Washington, May 18 (CNA) Amid the upcoming power transition in Taiwan, the U.S. government has expressed hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will continue to show flexibility in the maintenance of peace and stability.

"We're going to maintain our very consistent `one China' policy based on both the three joint communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act," said Daniel J. Kritenbrink, deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the U.S. Department of State, during a press briefing Wednesday.

"And again, we have emphasized to parties on both sides of the strait our interest in the maintenance of peace and stability and our hope that both sides will continue to show flexibility going forward in the name of maintaining that peace and stability," he said in response to a reporter's question.

Kritenbrink also said that the U.S. is sending an unofficial delegation to the May 20 inauguration of President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in Taipei.

"The purpose of the unofficial delegation is to again emphasize our commitment to the importance of our unofficial relations with Taiwan, to congratulate the people of Taiwan on a successful democratic election, and to also underscore again America's interest in maintaining cross-strait peace and stability," he noted.

It is unusual for U.S. officials to ask both sides of the strait to demonstrate flexibility. In the past, only Beijing has been asked to do so.

Kritenbrink made the call after a reporter from Taiwan asked if China's recent moves to re-establish diplomatic relations with The Gambia and to demand that Taiwan recognize the "1992 consensus" will affect future relations between the United States and the two sides of the strait.

Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party do not accept the existence of the "1992 consensus" -- which has underpinned cross-strait relations since 2008.

The consensus is been seen by the administration of outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) as a tacit agreement between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait that there is only one China, with the two sides free to interpret what that means.

On the Chinese side, Beijing uses the consensus to stress its "one China" principle.

(By Tony Liao and Elizabeth Hsu)
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