Xinhua Commentary Calling for Adherence to One-China PrincipleA Xinhua commentary called Sunday for the adherence of the one-China principle, saying this is the correct road to the resolution of the Taiwan issue.The commentary was released to mark the eighth anniversary of a meeting between Wang Daohan, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), and Koo Chenfu, chairman of the board of directors of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), in 1993. The "Wang-Koo Meeting" was held after the two sides of the Taiwan Straits and the ARATS and SEF reached a consensus on the one-China principle in 1992. Although the two sides gave different explanations on the political meaning of "one China," they share common views that the two sides belong to one nation and one country and has one culture, says the article. The commentary blames Lee Teng-hui and Taiwan's new leader for dragging the cross-straits relations into lasting tension. It says that Lee Teng-hui has been taking every possible means to create "two Chinas", and "one China, one Taiwan," which has ruined the progressive situation following the "Wang-Koo Meeting." Before stepping down, Lee uttered the notorious "two state" remarks, and as a result, Wang's planned tour to Taiwan was obstructed and the tension in the cross-straits relations was aggravated. Even worse is that the new Taiwan leader refuses to accept the one-China principle, denies the consensus reached in 1992, and continues to engage in activities, internationally and in the island, aimed at ruining the one-China principle and deteriorating the cross-straits relations. Whether the talks between ARATS and SEF can be reopened has drawn wide concern from all the Chinese people, including the Taiwan compatriots, the commentary says. Reopening the talks is the need of the people at both sides of the straits and is in the interests of the entire Chinese nation. ARATS President Wang Daohan stressed eight years ago that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan could both benefit from close exchanges and cooperation as the world economy was developing in a way of regionalization. It is the Taiwan authorities' refusal to accept the one-China principle that has destabilized the situation inside the island and created tensions between the two sides, resulting in growing symptoms of foreign interference in China's internal affairs, says the article. The Kuomintang Party, New Party, and People First Party have all expressed that only by adhering to the consensus reached in 1992 can the cross-straits relations be pulled out of the deadlock. The industrial and commercial circles in Taiwan have also demanded that the Taiwan authorities return to the one-China principle and seize the opportunities for cooperation with the mainland economy to help improve the Taiwan economy. It has become a consensus among the people in Taiwan that the key to the future of Taiwan lies in whether or not the one-China principle is accepted and stable cross-straits relations are established and developed on this basis, says the commentary. Chinese President Jiang Zemin has said on several occasions that cross-strait dialog and talks on anything can be carried out if the Taiwan authorities acknowledge the one-China principle. The government in the Chinese mainland has shown great concern over the appeal of the Taiwan people for peaceful living, has always been active in promoting the development of cross-straits exchanges and relations, and has great sincerity in peaceful settlement of the Taiwan issue, the article says. It stresses that the Taiwan authorities should take the full responsibility for the deadlock in the current cross-straits relations. The commentary calls on the Taiwan authorities to place the interests of the Taiwan people and the future of the whole Chinese nation first, and unequivocally accept the one-China principle as early as possible. Only by doing so can the cross-straits relations be improved and can there be hope for Taiwan to step out of its current plight, it says. |
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