Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chair candidate Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) today said he would call on Beijing to acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China (ROC) and declare it would not use force if Taiwan does not declare independence.
Hau, former Taipei mayor, held a press conference today on cross-strait policy, announcing how he would lead the KMT’s approach to cross-strait relations.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Hau called for an internal party debate on cross-strait policy, establishing KMT offices in Beijing and Shanghai, expanding the Twin City Forum involving Taipei and Shanghai into a cross-strait forum and ensuring that the party’s policy adheres to the ROC’s constitution.
Good cross-strait relations require effort from both sides, Hau said.
Currently, the biggest obstacle to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is China’s repeated military drills and continuous air and naval incursions around Taiwan, he said.
If he is elected KMT chair, he would call on China to declare that it would not use force against Taiwan as long as Taiwan does not seek independence, Hau said.
Hau did not elaborate on how he would ensure China’s commitment to this “no independence, no force” agreement, but emphasized that in his talks with Chinese leaders, he speaks sincerely about promoting cross-strait exchanges and peace, rather than simply flattering them.
Hau said he would reorient the KMT’s cross-strait policies to align with the ROC Constitution, which interprets the cross-strait relationship as the relationship between ROC in Taiwan and ROC in the mainland region, rather than two separate nations.
Hau said the constitution is Taiwan’s best protection and legal connection between the two sides of the strait, criticizing President William Lai’s (賴清德) erroneous presentation of cross-strait relations and the relationship between Taiwan and the ROC.
He said that Beijing must acknowledge the reality of the ROC’s current existence. If not, the “most natural and reasonable” legal link between the two sides of the strait will dwindle.
The people of Taiwan can only feel protected if the ROC is acknowledged and respected, and only then can they rationally work towards goals beneficial to people on both sides of the Strait, while continuing to preserve their democratic way of life, he said.
Hau emphasized that the “one China” referenced in the “1992 consensus” refers to the ROC.
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 Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
If China wishes for cross-strait exchanges based on the “1992 consensus,” it must first respect the ROC’s existence, Hau said.
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