Mainland Affairs Council Chair-person Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that cross-strait relations should not be simplified to the point that they hinge only on the "one China" principle, adding that the new government was open to all options for future relations with China, including reunification.
Tsai made the remarks at a meeting of the Home and Border Affairs Committee. When she was asked whether a 1992 cross-strait consensus that agreed to disagree on the definition of "one China" remains valid today, Tsai replied saying that the question should be analyzed by looking at the historical background behind the consensus.
She said the need has arisen for the government to review the stance it has adopted over the past eight years.
"The 1992 consensus ... refer-red to the two countries' differing explanations of `one China,'" Tsai said. "During that era, [from Taiwan's perspective] one China referred to the ROC."
A major reason for this is that the PRC has never existed and still does not exist in the ROC Constitution, Tsai said.
"This becomes a different thing when we look at the situation in 2000," Tsai said. "In light of the frequent cross-strait contacts, it's impossible for us to turn a blind eye to the existence of mainland China."
The ROC government is facing a situation where it needs to deal with the existence of the PRC -- something that it has not recognized in the past, she said.
Tsai said that the most important issue the government faces at present is how to deal with its relations with China. "[Relations] should not be simplified to become a question of `one China,'" Tsai said.
China has firmly insisted upon Taiwan's acceptance of the "one China" principle and has adopted a broad definition on Taiwan independence.
Beijing has pressed President Chen Shui-bian (
Echoing the specifications of President Chen's inauguration speech, Tsai said "one China" is a future issue to be handled jointly by both sides of the Strait. She said the new government is open to all options concerning the development of cross-strait relations and there will be no conclusion until both sides sit down to discuss it.
"At present, the `one China' is the ROC," Tsai said. "As to whether there will be any `future one China,' we must first get a clear idea of what this `future one China' is," Tsai said.
She affirmed that reunification with China remains a "valid option" and that the new government is willing to work in this direction.
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