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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 21, 2002

10th Anniversary of '92 Consensus' Commemorated

An article entitled "Upholding the '92 Consensus', Reopen Dialogs at An Early Date" was published in the 2002 December issue of the magazine "Cross-Strait Relations" to mark the 10th anniversary of the Consensus reached between the ARATS and the SEF respectively expressing by word of the mouth that "both sides of the Straits adhere to the one-China principle".


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Li Bingcai, executive deputy president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), published an article entitled "Upholding the '92 Consensus', Reopen Dialogs at An Early Date" in the 2002 December issue of the magazine "Cross-Strait Relations" run by ARATS to mark the 10th anniversary of the Consensus reached between the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) respectively expressing by word of the mouth that "both sides of the Straits adhere to the one-China principle".

The article says, in the report delivered to the Party's 16th National Congress, Comrade Jiang Zemin, on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC), set forth the guiding ideology and policy expositions for promoting the development of cross-Strait relations in the future and the process of the peaceful reunification of the motherland. Conspicuous space was devoted to expounding his view concerning cross-Strait dialog and negotiation, stressing that conduction of dialogs and negotiation on peaceful reunification are our consistent stand; he again appealed that on the basis of the one-China principle, certain political controversies should be temporarily put aside and cross-Strait dialog and negotiation be resumed as soon as possible; pointing out that on the premise of one China, we can talk about any question, can talk about the question of formally concluding the state of cross-Strait hostility, can talk about the question on international space for the Taiwan region's economic, cultural and social activities appropriate to its capacity, and can talk about questions concerning Taiwan authorities' political status.

This once again demonstrates to the people at home and abroad the sincerity and good will of the Chinese mainland which is willing to solve differences and strive for peaceful reunification through dialogs and negotiations, it is of important guidance significance for breaking cross-Strait political deadlock and reopen cross-Strait dialogs and negotiations.

In his article Li Bingcai reviewed the process of reaching the "92 Consensus" and its active promotion to cross-Strait relations. He points out that the content and the process of reaching the "92 Consensus" embody the political wisdom of properly handling differences and effectively breaking the deadlock, it has multi-level, rich implications on constructing a consultation basis and establishing mutual trust.

The establishment of the "92 Consensus" has created necessary conditions for each major progress made in cross-Strait negotiations over the past decade. Practice over the past 10 years shows that when the "92 Consensus" was upheld, consultation and dialog between ARATS and SEF went ahead smoothly, and some problems existing in cross-Strait relations could be resolved. Adherence to the "92 Consensus" conforms to the interests of Taiwan compatriots in general and to the requirement for development of cross-Strait relations.

The article points out that since the emergence of the "92 Consensus", the various separatist forces in Taiwan have all along regarded the Consensus as a magic formula for them to create "Taiwan independence" secession. First was Lee Teng-hui who brazenly dished out the separatist view, the "two-states theory", in defiance of the core content that "both sides of the Straits adhere to the one-China principle" as stated in the Consensus, later was the current leader of Taiwan authorities who denied the "92 Consensus", advocating "one country on each side". Since May 2000, the attitudes of various political forces in Taiwan toward the "92 Consensus" have become a touchstone testing whether they really have the sincerity for improving cross-Strait relations.

Essentially speaking, upholding or denying the "92 Consensus" actually is a question concerning whether or not acknowledge that "the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one China". When the Chinese mainland demands reopening dialog between ARATS and SEF on the bsis of the "92 Consensus", what it adheres to is the established basis for cross-Strait negotiation; what it protects is the link of the political mutual trust between the two sides; what it strives for is all-round development of cross-Strait relations; what it creates is a prospect for promoting the peaceful reunification of the two sides.

The article emphatically points out that even under the circumstance in which Taiwan authorities deny the "92 Consensus" and deliberately expand the political difference of the two sides, the Chinese mainland has not given up its efforts to improve cross-Strait relations together with Taiwan compatriots.

For the past two years and more, the ARATS has persistently called for re-opening dialog and negotiation on the basis of the "92 Consensus", safeguard and reestablish the link of mutual trust of the two sides, at the same time, it authorizes the development of exchange and dialog with Taiwan political parties, organizations and representatives who confirm the "92 Consensus" and oppose "Taiwan independence", and discuss methods for developing cross-Strait relations, safeguard the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits.

With the appearance of the new situation of the three links of mail, trade and transport between both sides of the Straits, the Chinese mainland, taking into consideration the promotion of development of cross-Strait relations and the actual interests of Taiwan compatriots and under the circumstance of difficulty in resuming cross-Strait dialog and negotiation, set forth a new proposal for links as soon as possible in the form of consultation between people, between trades and between companies so long as the "three direct links" of mail, trade, and transport between the two sides are regarded as the internal affairs of a country.

We maintain that the "three links" are matters of the two sides of the Straits and an economic issue, discussion may not involve the political implication of one China, but cross-Strait "three links" must never be described as "three links" between "states" and the matter must not be handled by the method for things handled between "states".

So long as Taiwan authorities have the sincerity and refrain from influencing and interfering with "three links" with political factors, it is entirely possible to conduct technical and business consultations by the method of consultation between people and between trades, the method of respective confirmation can be adopted toward the consensus reached between both sides, ships and airplanes registered by both sides can be used, company flag or marker flag should be hoisted at the time of entrance into ports, so that the "three links" can be realized as quickly as possible.

At the end of the article, Li Bingcai indicated that on the basis of the one-China principle, an early resumption of cross-Strait dialog and negotiation and comprehensive improvement of cross-Strait relations conform to the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Straits and are their common aspirations. In his report to the 16th CPC National Congress, Comrade Jiang Zemin once again expressed our immense sincerity and goodwill for promoting cross-Strait dialog and negotiation.

We hope that Taiwan authorities will conscientiously respond to our suggestions and propositions and pragmatically acknowledge their solemn promise to the effect that "both sides of the Straits adhere to the one-China principle" they made in the (92 Consensus" and then on this basis seek common grounds and shelve differences, and reopen dialog and negotiation.

ARATS will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 16th CPC National Congress, persist in the basic principles "peaceful reunification, one country, two systems" and the eight-point proposal put forward by President Jiang Zemin for developing cross-Strait relations at the present stage and expediting the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland, and continue, together with various parties and people of various social circles in Taiwan, to overcome difficulties, clear away all obstructions and make fresh efforts for promoting the resumption of dialogs between ARATS and SEF and the development of cross-Strait relations.

By People's Daily Online


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