Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) yesterday took issue with a former high-ranking Chinese official who said that recognition of the so-called “1992 consensus” would eventually lead to unification between Taiwan and China.
In an interview with Hong Kong-based Phoenix television last month, former deputy chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Tang Shubei (唐樹備) said it would be inconsistent with the principle of the “1992 consensus” if the two sides were to remain separated indefinitely.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) believed the so-called “1992 consensus” was reached during a meeting in Hong Kong in 1992 between Taiwanese and Chinese representatives, under which both sides claim to have acknowledged that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “one China” means.
The Democratic Progressive Party insists the “1992 consensus” does not exist.
Tang said in the interview that the core spirit of the “1992 consensus” was “one China,” and that its goal is that both sides join efforts to pursue unification.
At the legislature’s question-and-answer session yesterday, the premier said he disagreed with Tang because the “1992 consensus” referred to an understanding that each side of the Strait has its own interpretation of what “one China” means.
The understanding, which was reached by both sides, does not contain anything related to unification and does not set a timeline for unification, Jiang said in answer to Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Huang Wen-ling’s (黃文玲) question on his views about Tang’s statement.
“Sometimes they [the Chinese side] overinterpret the meaning of the ‘1992 consensus,’” Jiang said.
Jiang added that the overarching principle guiding the KMT government’s cross-strait policies is to maintain the cross-strait “status quo.”
In related news, China’s new Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) director, Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), yesterday said it was not necessary to set conditions for him to visit Taiwan.
Zhang was responding to recent remarks by Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦), who said that Zhang was welcome to visit Taiwan “at an appropriate time, in a suitable capacity and when all related conditions are right.”
Wang added that he would not meet Zhang unless Zhang agrees to address him by his official title, instead of simply “Mr Wang.”
Zhang, who was attending a seminar in China’s Fujian Province, said that any related problems, such as in what capacity and format the visits should be made, can be resolved with sincerity.
However, throughout his talk, he did not refer to Wang by his title, but only referred to him as “those responsible for such affairs in Taiwan.”
Zhang added that his predecessor, Wang Yi (王毅), had never had the chance to visit Taiwan in the five years he was office.
“I hope not to harbor such regrets in my term,” Zhang said.
Zhang added that the TAO would continue to remove any obstacles that stand in the way of cross-strait relations and seek to promote understanding on both sides.
The office would also “seek to purge the rancor left by the pro-Taiwan independence consciousness and increase recognition of [Chinese] ethnicity (民族認同感),” he said.
Zhang said that by moving forward step by step and not setting restrictions, both sides can slowly come to a consensus on what to do, adding that starting dialogue through civil organizations is a viable method.
Through seminars hosted by groups on both sides of the Strait, the two sides can begin to accrue ideas at these peace seminars, he said.
Commenting on Zhang’s call for Taiwan to remove “all restrictions,” Democratic Progressive Party Policy Research Committee’s executive director Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said that China was the one imposing restrictions with its insistence on “one China” during cross-strait talks.
China should respect Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy and uphold the principle of equality, Wu said.
Only by adhering to these principles would Taiwanese feel respected by China, Wu said.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard