The Chinese leaders' comments on the "1992 consensus" left no room for each side of the Taiwan Strait to have its own interpretation on the definition of "one China," the Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement yesterday.
The council released the statement in response to remarks by Chinese President Hu Jintao (
"Hu used the term `1992 consensus' to mask its [Beijing's] `one China' principle, with the intention of deceiving the Taiwanese people and the international community [that it is flexible regard the definition of the `one-China' principle]," the statement said.
"But in fact, the essence of the `1992 consensus' is the kind of `one China' principle in which only the `People's Republic of China' fulfills the definition," it said.
The dispute over the so-called "1992 consensus" stems from a cross-strait meeting in 1992. The pan-blue camp says that a consensus on "one China" was reached, in which each side agreed to its own interpretation. While the pan-green camp has previously denied the existence of the consensus, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said recently that he would respect the KMT's understanding of the consensus if China agreed that Taiwan had its own interpretation of the "one China" principle.
Under the KMT's understanding of the consensus, the definition of "one China" by the Taiwan side is the "Republic of China [ROC]," while on the Chinese side it is the "People's Republic of China."
During a meeting with KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"We regret that [Lien] didn't use the opportunity to clarify whether the KMT and China are in agreement about the definition of the `1992 consensus,'" the statement said.
"Therefore, [we] can't find out whether the phraseology of the `1992 consensus' recognizes the existence of the Republic of China," the statement said.
The real problem preventing both sides of the Strait from benign relations is the Chinese side's decision to ignore the existence of the ROC, it said.
The council said that Hu's remarks about the "1992 consensus" yesterday again proved that China was unable to accept the existence of the ROC.
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