President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) believes that if Chinese authorities acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China’s (ROC) Constitution, it would be conducive to maintaining peaceful cross-strait relations, Presidential Office spokesperson Charles Chen (陳以信) said yesterday in response to Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi’s (王毅) public reference to the Constitution on Thursday.
Chen said Ma considers Wang’s remarks to be a demonstration of Beijing’s recognition of the existence of the Constitution.
“The Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion (動員戡亂時期臨時條款) were abolished in 1991 and since then authorities on the mainland have no longer been viewed [by the ROC] as a rebel group. The National Assembly then amended the Constitution with changes collectively known as the Additional Articles (增修條文), acknowledging the governments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait as two equal political entities and legally dividing the ROC into the free region and the mainland region, which made possible the subsequent Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) that has facilitated the development of cross-strait relations,” Chen said.
Chen said the “1992 consensus” and “one China, different interpretations” are based on the cross-strait relationship established according to the Constitution.
Ma made it clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during their meeting in Singapore on Nov. 7 last year that the ROC’s position of “one China, different interpretations” based on the “1992 consensus” absolutely does not involve “two Chinas,” “one China, one Taiwan” or Taiwanese independence, as they are not allowed by the Constitution, Chen added.
“President Ma has emphasized this many times over the past few years, and his straightforward mention of the Constitution during his meeting with Xi was crucial, in the sense that it was unprecedented,” Chen said.
Chen attributed the unprecedented peace and prosperity in cross-strait relations and the “status quo” to the “1992 consensus” and “one China, different interpretations,” and called on “all ROC presidents” to cherish the achievements.
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 the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
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