Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday urged KMT members to present a united front on the so-called “1992 consensus,” and cease the internecine conflicts that have driven a wedge between the camps of KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
“In the past, the KMT’s cross-strait policy, which centers on adherence to the ‘1992 consensus’ and the ‘one China, with different interpretations’ framework, had only been challenged by the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). Never before has it be a subject of contention within the KMT,” Hau said on Facebook.
With the approach of the Cross-Strait Peaceful Development Forum — which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday next week in Beijing — it is critical that KMT members put forward a clear policy position and stop quarreling, the former Taipei mayor said.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The DPP’s difficulties over its stance on cross-strait relations demonstrate that the KMT’s cross-strait policy has been correct all along and that the “1992 consensus” and “one China, different interpretations” are vital to maintaining stable cross-strait development, Hau said.
“If even our own people reject that policy, we could lose the possibility of proving ourselves right through the failure of the DPP’s governance,” he said.
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and Beijing that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means. Former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 said that he had made up the term in 2000.
At the center of the altercation between Hung’s and Ma’s camps is the policy platform passed by the party’s national congress early last month that aims to “further” the “1992 consensus” and explore the possibility of signing a cross-strait peace accord.
Critics have said the new platform is an attempt by Hung to move the KMT closer to the concept of “one China, same interpretation,” as it only mentions the “different interpretations” aspect of the “consensus” once in the introduction as part of the party’s history and omits the term in the latter part of the platform, which sets out the party’s main policy.
Hau said that without having a united front on the “1992 consensus” and “one China, different interpretations” the KMT would be in no position to question the DPP’s cross-strait policy or promote interactions across the Taiwan Strait.
“Also, how can we discuss a peace accord [with Beijing] if there is no consensus among Taiwanese and our position is not based on the foundation of ‘one China, different interpretations?’” Hau said.
Despite Hau’s calls for party solidarity, KMT Central Policy Committee director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) later yesterday took aim at Ma’s office, which issued a statement on Tuesday urging Tsai to study history more closely to gain a “more accurate understanding” of the content of the “1992 consensus.”
“Who is ‘Ma Ying-jeou’s office’ anyway? It published a weird news release without leaving the name of its spokesperson. It is no different from a fake Facebook account,” Tsai said on Facebook, urging the office to look at itself in the mirror before giving him directions.
EIGHT-YEAR WINDOW: Avril Haines said that Beijing is closely watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine, although Moscow’s actions have not sped up Beijing’s timeline The threat posed by China to Taiwan until 2030 is “critical,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Tuesday while testifying on worldwide threats at a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services. “I think it’s fair to say that it’s critical, or acute,” Haines said when asked by US Senator Josh Hawley if she viewed the threat facing Taiwan to be acute from now until 2030. “It’s our view that they [China] are working hard to effectively put themselves into a position in which their military is capable of taking Taiwan over our intervention,” she said, without
NO CONSENSUS YET: Local governments and the CECC have agreed to change the ‘3+4’ self-isolation policy, but are still mulling what to replace it with The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and local governments have agreed to ease restrictions on close contacts of COVID-19 cases, although the details are still being discussed, the center said yesterday. The discussions follow Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Saturday approving a proposal to shorten the “3+4” policy — three days of home isolation followed by four days of self-disease prevention — for close contacts who have received booster doses. “We did not reach a consensus on how to revise the current restrictions, but we all agreed that the administrative burden must be reduced and the intensity of restrictions must be eased,
OPPOSING CHINESE ‘HOSTILITY’: The bill orders the state secretary to create a plan to regain observer status for Taiwan, saying Taipei is a model contributor to world health US President Joe Biden on Friday signed a bill into law to help Taiwan regain observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA), demonstrating Washington’s support for Taiwan’s international participation. Friday was the deadline for Biden to sign the bill (S.812), which directs “the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization (WHO), and for other purposes.” The 75th WHA, the decisionmaking body of the WHO, is scheduled to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, from Sunday next week to May 28. The bill, introduced by US Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the US Senate
‘DAMOCLES SWORD’: An Italian missionary said the arrest of cardinal Zen is a blow for the church in Hong Kong, China and the world, signaling great danger ahead China yesterday defended the arrest of a 90-year-old Catholic cardinal under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, a move that triggered international outrage and deepened concerns over Beijing’s crackdown on freedoms in the territory. Retired cardinal Joseph Zen (陳日君), one of the most senior Catholic clerics in Asia, was among a group of veteran democracy advocates arrested on Wednesday for “colluding with foreign forces.” Pop singer Denise Ho (何韻詩), veteran barrister Margaret Ng (吳靄儀) and cultural studies academic Hui Po-keung (許寶強) were also arrested, the latter as he attempted to fly to Europe to take up an academic post. Cyd Ho (何秀蘭), a democracy
RSS