Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday reiterated his support for the so-called “1992 consensus” at a meeting with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Liu Jieyi (劉結一) in Shenzhen, China.
Although he had expressed his support for the “1992 consensus” prior to last year’s elections, he found it important to reiterate it due to its importance, Han said.
The “1992 consensus” is the “magical needle that stabilizes the sea,” Han told Liu, alluding to a tale in Journey to the West (西遊記).
Photo: CNA
With the “1992 consensus,” cross-strait relations, be they cultural, economical, sports or other aspects, would run smoothly, he added.
Liu praised Han for his work as mayor, saying he has brought them concrete benefits.
The results are a reflection of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait being part of one family and looking out for each other, he added.
Meanwhile, Han’s meeting on Friday with Wang Zhimin (王志民), director of China’s liaison office in Hong Kong, suggests that he approves of the “one country, two systems” framework, New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) told a news conference at the party’s caucus office in Taipei.
“A visit to the Chinese Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region means only one thing, that he approves of the ‘one country, two systems’ framework and the despicable things it has done to Hong Kong,” Lim said, adding that it might even suggest possibly accepting Hong Kong as a model for Taiwan.
The liaison office is responsible for undermining Hong Kong’s freedom, democracy and economic autonomy under the “one country, two systems” framework, Lim said.
He urged the Mainland Affairs Council to look into Han’s meeting with Wang and tighten its screening of officials’ cross-strait exchanges.
The council is aware of Han’s meeting with officials from the Chinese Liaison Office and would pay attention to the issue, council representative Tu Chia-fang (杜嘉芬) told Lim’s news conference.
Given that the issue is highly sensitive, the council has urged the Kaohsiung City Government to offer an explanation to the public as soon as possible, she said.
By visiting the office without notifying the council, Han might have contravened Article 33-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), which bans Taiwanese from collaborating with Chinese government institutions or officials on political matters, she said.
“To determine that, the council must first understand whether there were concrete acts of collaboration between Han and the office, among other things,” she said.
The Kaohsiung City Council’s KMT caucus yesterday said that Han had not colluded with Beijing during his visit to China and he was not stumping for its “one country, two systems” formula.
Hong Kong media and the Democratic Progressive Party’s criticism of Han are politically motivated and groundless, and Han should not be sabotaged or slandered for trying to improve the city’s economic future, the caucus statement said.
“The only thing Kaohsiung residents need is the economy, not meaningless political posturing,” KMT council caucus convener Tseng Chun-chieh (曾俊傑) said.
The “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 acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Additional reporting by Wang Jung-hsiang
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