An official with the Chinese mainland’s Association
for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) clarified the
country's stance on the 1992 Consensus on Sunday. It was in
response to Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's appeal to restart
cross-Straits talks based on the success of that consensus.
“If Chen disregards or distorts the historical
facts on the consensus, refusing to accept the 'one-China’
principle and bent on Taiwan independence, he only proves his
insincerity about restarting talks across the Straits and will run
counter to the expectation of the international community,” the
official said.
The official explained that the 1992 Consensus
refers to a meeting held between the ARATS and the Straits Exchange
Foundation (SEF) of Taiwan in Hong Kong in late October 1992.
A precondition of the consensus was that “both
sides of the Straits adhere to the ‘one-China’ principle.”
“If Chen would clearly acknowledge the precondition
as well as the facts, while discarding his ‘one country on each
side’ principle and Taiwan independence position, the ARATS and SEF
could resume talks,” the official said.
According to the official, as exchanges in trade,
economy and other fields across the Taiwan Straits had increased
since late 1987, Taiwan’s authorities adjusted their policy of ‘no
contact, no concession and no negotiation’ and set up the SEF to
contact and negotiate with the Chinese mainland over problems as
they occurred. The Chinese mainland agreed to hold negotiations by
establishing the ARATS in December 1991.
At the start of negotiations, he continued, the
ARATS maintained that it was essential to stick to a ‘one-China’
policy in negotiations and agreements, despite the great political
differences of the two sides.
“On August 1, 1992 Taiwan’s national reunification
committee agreed wording on the ‘one-China’ policy, stating that
though there are different readings of the principle, both sides
could agree to it," he said. This paved the way for the 1992
Consensus.
A summary of the Wang-Koo Talks (named for Wang
Daohan and Koo Chen-fu, then leaders of the ARATS and SEF
respectively) published in August 1993 stated that the consensus
reached was quite clear: both sides had worked hard to seek common
points while reserving differences in interpreting the precise
meaning of ‘one-China.’
(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2004)