The heads of cross-strait affairs in Taiwan and China had a conversation yesterday via a newly installed telephone hotline connecting the two sides of the Strait, during which they discussed recent developments in cross-strait relations, following rumors that the Chinese side has refused to answer calls since the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections.
During the conversation, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Andrew Hsia (夏立言) and China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) exchanged Lunar New Year greetings.
It was the first time Hsia and Zhang used the hotline since the Jan. 16 elections, in which president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidency and the party gained a legislative majority.
Hsia told Zhang that peaceful and stable development of cross-strait ties is the hope of people across party lines in Taiwan, and that both sides of the Strait should maintain and cherish the achievements made so far, a statement issued by the council said.
Expanding and deepening cross-strait engagement would help improve mutual trust and understanding, Hsia said, adding that both sides should avoid actions that could escalate tensions, but instead promote a healthy relationship.
The conversation came one day after Zhang issued a Lunar New Year message in which he lauded the achievements in the development of cross-strait ties and expressed hope that the two sides would continue to work together to maintain peace across the strait in the coming year, basing their efforts on the so-called “1992 consensus,” a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides of the 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) admitted making up the term in 2000.
The DPP has refused to recognize the existence of any such consensus.
There have been concerns that relations across the Taiwan Strait would deteriorate under Tsai’s administration, since the DPP is known for its pro-Taiwan independence stance.
Tsai, without using the term “1992 consensus,” has said that she “understands and respects” the “historic fact” that Taiwan and China “reached some common acknowledgments and understanding in 1992.”
In an interview with the Liberty Times (sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) late last month, Tsai said the two sides of the Taiwan Strait would need to work hard to build a “consistent, predictable and sustainable” relationship.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their