ARATS and Three Taiwan Parties Reach Consensus on One China Principle

Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) vice-chairman Sun Yafu told Taiwanese reporters yesterday that ARATS has exchanged views with Taiwan's New Party, the Kuomintang and People First Party (PFP) and reached a consensus on the one China principle.

After meeting with the PFP delegation for three hours fifteen minutes, Sun Yafu and ARATS secretary-general Li Yafei answered questions from journalists sent by Chinese and Taiwanese media organizations.

Since this July, delegations from the New Party, Kuomintang and People First Party have all visited the mainland and exchanged views on cross-strait issues with ARATS. Sun Yafu said that ARATS and the three parties all adhere to the one China principle and accept the consensus reached at the cross-straits talks in 1992.

He said, "We believe that both sides should begin negotiations to promote the development of cross-strait relations and the prerequisite for cross-strait talks is to accept the one China principle. Our attitude [towards this] has not changed. The Taiwan authorities should promise not to provoke the "two states theory" and insist on the consensus reached at the 1992 talks, where each side agreed in their own manner that 'both sides would insist on a one China principle.'"

Sun Yafu said, Taiwan's position is very clear, it is a part of China. Taiwan's future is to reunify with China. The Taiwan authorities have often said that [that we must be] sincere and friendly. We feel that the best way to show sincerity and friendliness is to accept the one China principle and peacefully reunite.

Sun Yafu also said that we should pay attention to the recent speeches of the Taiwan leaders, which have extremely dangerous elements or signals in them. We feel that the one China principle is the foundation and prerequisite for development of cross strait relations. China and Taiwan will eventually reunite.

When asked about meeting with the Democratic Progressive Party, Sun Yafu answered, China will not meet or negotiate with the DPP before it eliminates the "Taiwan independence" article in the party charter.



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