Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, yesterday unveiled a cross-strait policy white paper, saying he would try to restore cross-strait dialogue if elected president.
Under President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration, trust is lacking between both sides of the Taiwan Strait and in less than four years, Taiwan has lost seven diplomatic allies, Han said during a Facebook livestream.
Describing Tsai’s cross-strait policy as “China-hating, self-serving and damaging to Taiwan,” Han said that he would work to rebuild trust between both sides of the Strait.
His vision for cross-strait relations includes defending the nation’s sovereignty by insisting on the “1992 consensus” for rebuilding cross-strait trust, as well as helping to promote China’s democratization to ensure cross-strait peace, he said.
He would also build mechanisms for internal dialogue to form a consensus in Taiwan on cross-strait issues, Han said.
The so-called “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the 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.
The current cross-strait situation does not offer the conditions for unification or independence, Han said.
“Our generation does not have the right to limit the choices of subsequent generations, and it is our responsibility to create a stronger and more peaceful environment for them,” he said.
He would not allow anyone to harm Taiwan, he said, adding: “If necessary, every citizen, including myself, would protect the sovereignty of the Republic of China with a gun.”
Su, who a policy adviser of Han’s, said the meaning of the “1992 consensus” has been distorted after Tsai linked it to Beijing’s “one country, two systems.”
If Han is elected president, he would restore cross-strait dialogue using the “consensus” as a foundation, Su said.
Under the Tsai administration, national security is facing serious threats from China, Su said.
“I am worried that if Tsai is re-elected, Taiwan would enter a situation equivalent to a volcanic eruption,” he said.
In other developments, KMT Pingtung County Chapter head Liao Wan-ju (廖婉汝) said that Han is planning to visit the county on Wednesday next week on the first stop of a campaign tour.
Han’s campaign office spokeswoman Ho Ting-huan (何庭歡) said that Han is planning to travel throughout Taiwan to consult industries and members of the public on policymaking, but added that no dates have been set.
Additional reporting by CNA
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