Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on Thursday said Beijing did not “care that much” who was in power in Taiwan, but added that as president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was elected based on Taiwan’s Constitution, she should abide by it — marking the first time that a Chinese official has publicly recognized the Constitution.
He told a forum at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies that Taiwan is China’s “internal affair” and Tsai’s election victory should not come as “too big” a surprise.
When asked how Tsai’s election would impact Beijing-Taipei relations, Wang said: “It is not in my purview or responsibility, but let me say it is just a change of government in Taiwan — it’s a result of electoral politics, it’s something natural.”
“What we care about is, once someone has come into power, how he or she handles the cross-strait relationship,” Wang said, speaking through an interpreter.
What matters most is how Tsai maintains the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, Wang said.
Wang indicated that Beijing would be watching to see if Tsai would “recommit to the political foundation of cross-strait relations — the one China principle.”
“This is what we care about,” Wang said.
He said there was still time before the transition of power on May 20 for Tsai to make that commitment.
“I hope and expect that before that time comes, the person in power in Taiwan will indicate that she wants to pursue the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and that she will accept the provision in Taiwan’s own Constitution that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China,” Wang said.
“She was elected on the basis of the current Constitution of Taiwan, which still recognizes the mainland and Taiwan as one and the same China,” he said.
“It would be difficult to imagine that someone who is elected on the basis of that Constitution should try to do anything in violation of Taiwan’s own Constitution. If she should attempt to do that, the international community will not accept it, mainland China will not accept it and the people in Taiwan will not accept it, because they want to see continued peaceful development of cross-strait relations,” Wang added.
While he carefully avoided the use of Tsai’s name, it was notable that Wang did not mention the so-called “1992 consensus,” as Chinese officials often do, and was also the first time that a Chinese official has referred to the Constitution, as opposed to referring to “Taiwan’s laws and relevant regulations.” The so-called “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (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.
Wang said Taiwanese want to see more Chinese visitors, pursue more business ties with China and live in a climate of peace and tranquility.
“The next government in Taiwan must think about these issues in a serious way,” Wang said.
Wang was ending a three-day Washington visit that included a meeting at the White House with US President Barack Obama and US National Security Advisor Susan Rice.
Wang met separately with US Secretary of State John Kerry and visited Capitol Hill for talks with members of the US Congress active in China-related issues.
Sources said that all discussions were dominated by the North Korea nuclear issue and China’s militarization of the South China Sea.
As previously reported by the Taipei Times, Wang raised the issue of Taiwan in his talks with Kerry.
Commenting on Wang’s remarks, center senior adviser for Asia Bonnie Glaser said Chinese officials have previously always insisted on referring to the “1992 consensus.”
As Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party would not accept the “1992 consensus,” Wang’s statement might hint at a new direction in which the idea of “one China” might be achieved through the Constitution, Glaser said.
According to a report published by the Chinese-language United Evening News, former American Institute in Taiwan director Douglas Paal said his guess was that Wang’s remarks show that Beijing is unofficially consenting to Tsai’s idea of handling cross-strait issues within the framework of the Constitution.
Additional reporting by Reuters and Loa Iok-sin
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old