PD Commentary on 1992 cross-Straits Consensus

The "1992 consensus" is a consensus reached by mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and

Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) in Hong Kong in 1992, which agreed by ARATS and SEF to express orally and respectively that "both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the 'one-China' principle", the commentary said.

And the consensus was not only expressed in letters between ARATS and SEF but also had been recorded in SEF's "Summary of Wang-Ku Talks" held in Singapore on April 27-28, 1993 between ARATS President Wang Daohan SEF Chairman Ku Chen-Fu, the commentary said.

The commentary said that the "1992 consensus" is an undeniable fact, citing that documents disclosed or openly published by relevant departments from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are clear historical evidence.

However, during an interview with Hong Kong media on April 25, the leader of the Taiwan authorities again denied the "1992 consensus", saying that it has been hard to tell whether there is really a consensus reached in 1992 or not, in the hope of continuing to obstruct the resumption of cross-Straits negotiations, the commentary said.

The commentary noted that the "1992 consensus" has been the basis for dialogues and negotiations between ARATS and SEF since 1992.

"Whether the leader of the Taiwan authorities adheres to the ' 1992 consensus' has become the key of whether ARATS and SEF can reopen dialogues and negotiations and an important issue of whether the cross-Straits relations can be improved," the commentary pointed out.

ARATS President Wang Daohan published an article stressing the significance of the "Wang-Ku Talks", retelling the key points of the consensus that both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the "one-China" principle, and expressing the mainland's expectation and sincerity for an early resumption of cross-Straits dialogues on the existing basis of the "1992 consensus".

The compatriots of Taiwan have strongly requested that the Taiwan authorities recognize the "1992 consensus", hoping the ARATS and SEF to resume negotiations as soon as possible so as to improve the relations across the Straits, the commentary said.

In order to resume dialogues and negotiations on the existing foundation, the mainland has firmly safeguarded the "1992 consensus". And Taiwan's political parties and organizations, which advocate a development of the cross-Straits relations and oppose the independence of Taiwan, as well as those SEF personages who participated in the formulation of the "1992 consensus", have proved the existence of the consensus and they all hope to resume cross-Straits negotiations based on the consensus, the commentary said.

But, in disregard of historical facts and the common requests of compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, the leader of the Taiwan authorities again denied the "1992 consensus", and fabricated a so-called "consensus with no consensus" and a "'92 spirit" of "laying aside disputes in dialogues and exchanges", attempting to deny and tamper with the existing basis for negotiations between ARATS and SEF and planting serious obstacles for negotiations across the Taiwan Straits, the commentary pointed out.

"It only proves that he is still refusing to accept the 'one- China' principle and is not willing to forsake the position of separatism," the commentary said.

The commentary said that what the leader of the Taiwan authorities has done is not in the direction of peaceful dialogues or solving problems, but in the direction of confronting the mainland in an attempt to rely on the support of anti-China forces from the west, further deteriorating the tension across the Taiwan Straits.

"We have always advocated to realize the reunification of the motherland through peaceful negotiations and have the utmost sincerity to improve the cross-Straits relations," said the commentary. "Our stand of adhering to the 'one-China' principle and safeguarding the state sovereignty and territorial integrity is unshakable."

While warning the Taiwan authorities not to wrongly judge the international trends and the situation of cross-Straits relations and not to go against the genuine will of Taiwan compatriots for improving relations across the Straits, the commentary urged the Taiwan authorities to clearly acknowledge the "one-China" principle as soon as possible, clearly recognize the "1992 consensus" and show sincerity for improving relations across the Straits.

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