Siew reaffirms 1992 consensus at APEC summit

2014-11-10

Taiwan will continue advancing cross-strait peace and prosperity in line with the 1992 consensus, former Vice President Vincent C. Siew said Nov. 9 in Beijing, mainland China.

“Promotion of peaceful developments across the Taiwan Strait is a mutual and firm goal for Taipei and Beijing,” Siew said. “We should expand innovative mechanisms of cooperation, face up to challenges standing in the way of economic and trade relations and work together to create prosperity for both sides.”

Siew made the remarks during talks with mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing. He is attending the summit as President Ma Ying-jeou’s envoy.

During the talks, Siew proposed that Taipei and Beijing should continue exchanges on the basis of safeguarding peaceful development; upholding the 1992 consensus as the cornerstone for interactions and negotiations, and promoting institutionalized economic cooperation and enhancing the welfare of the people in Taiwan and mainland China.

“There is every reason to believe Taipei and Beijing will increase mutual understanding with sincerity and goodwill,” Siew said, adding that differences are to be addressed with patience and wisdom on the road to creating a win-win situation for all.

In light of the latest trends in world trade and globalization, Siew said Taiwan and mainland China should join in creating a framework for improving economic interactions.

This involves establishing a mechanism for joint participation in regional integration; building a model for economic cooperation with the aim of finalizing Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) follow-up negotiations and expediting talks on a trade in goods pact; and launching a people-centered exchange platform enabling the public to take part in and share the fruits of cross-strait cooperation.

The regional integration mechanism is particularly important, Siew said, as Taipei and Beijing should support each other in initiatives like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

“Such an undertaking would bolster the confidence of Taiwan people in cross-strait trade liberalization,” he added.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=223837&CtNode=413)