MAC reaffirms commitment to 1992 consensus

2015/08/18

The 1992 consensus is key to ensuring peace and prosperity between Taiwan and mainland China, according to Mainland Affairs Council Minister Andrew Hsia Aug. 15 in New York.

“It is a proven and pragmatic way of safeguarding national sovereignty and dignity, as well as promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait ties and regional stability,” Hsia said.

“Significant headway achieved in this regard over the last seven years has created a basis for institutionalized interaction and exchanges, while winning widespread support from the international community and people of Taiwan.”

Hsia made the remarks in an address at the 40th annual conference of the Chinese American Academic and Professional Society.

Reached during the landmark 1992 meeting in Singapore between Koo Chen-fu, former chairman of Taipei City-based Straits Exchange Foundation, and Wang Daohan, former chairman of Beijing-headquartered Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, the consensus states that there exists only one China but with respective interpretations.

“At the core of the consensus is insistence on the ROC’s sovereignty,” Hsia said. “It helps both sides of the strait shelve differences on the way to seeking common ground and pursuing win-win outcomes.”

Hsia said that given all candidates in the upcoming 2016 ROC presidential election have formulated their cross-strait policies in line with the consensus, he expects systematic negotiations and high-level communications between Taiwan and mainland China to continue on this basis.

“This is testament to the viability of the principle and the effectiveness of the government’s promotion of normalized bilateral interactions.”

Separately, the minister said the 11th round of talks between the SEF and its ARATS counterpart is scheduled for the end of this month in Fuzhou, mainland China. Pacts concerning flight security and taxation issues are expected to be finalized during the event.

As for his next meeting with Beijing-based Taiwan Affairs Office head Zhang Zhijun, Hsia said it is still under negotiation and could take place in September. The pair last met in outlying Kinmen County in May, forging agreements on a raft of key cross-strait matters.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=233883&ctNode=413)