Academic forums to mark the fifth anniversary of a summit between then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) are “indulging in nostalgia” and “contrary to society’s prevailing views,” the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday.
The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation has organized a forum in Taipei today to mark the anniversary, while the Chinese government held its own event yesterday in Beijing titled: “Commemorating Xi-Ma Summit, Five-Year Anniversary Academic Conference.”
DPP headquarters said in a statement that the 2015 summit happened because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) gambled on Taiwan’s future by unilaterally betting everything to side with China.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
It kowtowed to Beijing by recasting the so-called “1992 consensus” as “there is only one China, with no differing interpretations,” the DPP said.
“Such a political stance is no longer part of Taiwan’s mainstream public dialogue,” the statement said. “The two forums were for the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party to indulge in nostalgia, as they fail to comprehend current political realities with events that run counter to the prevailing views of most Taiwanese.”
“Ma organized a forum to boost his delusion of a second Ma-Xi meeting,” it said. “If that were to happen, it would follow Ma’s 2015 acceptance of a ‘one China principle,’ and his next step would be to accept Xi’s ‘one country, two systems’ proposal for governing Taiwan.”
“Chinese military aircraft have in the past month harassed Taiwan almost daily, undermining national security,” the DPP said. “These are part of other military provocations and a constant barrage of political propaganda and disinformation.”
“Given the circumstances, is it appropriate for Ma’s foundation and events to coordinate with China?”
Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said that the Beijing event was “part of China’s united front propaganda warfare aimed against Taiwan.”
“Beijing is working to reiterate its insistence on the ‘one China’ policy and the ‘1992 consensus’ to force our side to accept these political frameworks,” Chiu said. “However, most Taiwanese have rejected the ‘one country, two systems proposal.’”
“The Chinese government must understand this fact,” he said.
“The Chinese leadership must face these political realities and must have the courage to change the way it treats cross-strait relations,” he said. “It must respect our positions and the will of Taiwanese to allow a discussion over peaceful coexistence.”
Political observers are to watch Ma’s event today to see whether it parrots the views expressed in Beijing yesterday and whether it would follow China’s lead when it comes to cross-strait ties after the results of the US presidential election are known.
The “1992 consensus” and the doctrine of “friendly with the US and at peace with China” are expected to be reiterated, while a proposition for joint administration of the Taiwan Strait by Beijing and Washington might be mooted, they said.
Ma’s office said that it would not respond to comments from unnamed sources.
The “1992 consensus” is a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000. It 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.
Additional reporting by Yang Chun-hui
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