Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Tuesday questioned the relevance of the so-called “1992 consensus,” a key element of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) China policy, which she called outdated.
“The KMT insists on adhering to the ‘1992 consensus,’ a stance they have maintained for more than 30 years. However, our society is focused on moving forward, isn’t it?” Hsiao told a rally in Yunlin County.
The “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 Communist Party that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-Hsun, Taipei Times
The DPP has never acknowledged the “1992 consensus,” saying that Beijing does not recognize the Republic of China and acceptance of the understanding would imply agreement with China’s claim over Taiwan.
China considers recognition of the “1992 consensus” a prerequisite for dialogue between the two sides and has cut off all communications with Taipei since the DPP came to power in 2016.
“How can we rely on proposals from three decades ago to navigate the modern world?” Hsiao, the former representative to the US, said in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese).
In 1992, China was just beginning its journey toward reform and opening up, when then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) advocated for a low-key approach and emphasized economic development, she said.
That prompted numerous Taiwanese businesses to invest and do business in China, she said.
“However, the China we see today is different from that of 1992. China has been suppressing human rights, affecting many Taiwanese businesses there,” she said.
During the presidency of former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), many Taiwanese businesses invested heavily in China after the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with Beijing in 2010, Hsiao said.
“Now we are in a situation where we’ve placed numerous eggs in one basket, and unfortunately, that basket has encountered some issues,” the former diplomat said.
For example, the unemployment rate among young Chinese has passed 20 percent, with some academics suggesting it might even reach as high as 40 percent, she said.
To mitigate the risks of overreliance on China, Taiwan has affirmed its commitment to “connect with the world,” becoming the first country with which US President Joe Biden signed a trade agreement after assuming office in 2021, she said, referring to the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.
The first agreement under the initiative, launched in June last year, was signed by both sides in June.
The current trade volume between Taiwan and the US is more than double what it was when President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was elected in 2016.
Hsiao, 52, last month resigned as representative to the US, where she had served for more than three years, to join the presidential ticket of Vice President William Lai (賴清德).
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