In response to a call by Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) for president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to abide by Taiwan’s Constitution, which says both Taiwan and China are parts of the Republic of China (ROC), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday reiterated that it would maintain the cross-strait “status quo” within the constitutional framework.
“President-elect Tsai has made it very clear that when the new government is sworn in, it will strive to maintain the ‘status quo’ of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait based on the current ROC constitutional system,” DPP spokesperson Yang Chia-liang (楊家俍) said in response to reporters’ questions. “The DPP government will move beyond party divisions and follow public opinion to protect the interests of the people.”
Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), who was accompanying Tsai Ing-wen on a visit to Taichung, echoed Yang’s comments, saying that insisting on the “status quo” of the ROC is the bottom line for the DPP government, with no room whatsoever for concessions.
“If both sides of the Taiwan Strait can have mutual exchanges and peaceful interactions under the ‘status quo,’ China should not change its stance because of a different governing party in Taiwan,” Tsai Chi-chang said.
Separately in Taipei, DPP caucus secretary-general Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) also said Tsai Ing-wen would handle cross-strait issues in accordance with the “status quo,” as she had promised during her presidential election campaign.
“There is no need for Wang to worry about this,” Chen added.
DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) said he felt that Wang’s statement was only a repetition of China’s long-time position.
“China has its own stance and we have our own stance in Taiwan, as well,” Lee said. “China has always insisted on ‘one China,’ and for the DPP, it is very clear that we will maintain peaceful development of cross-strait relations under the current constitutional system.”
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