China’s Taiwan Affairs Office says that the consensus reached at the meeting between President Ma and Chinese leader Xi Jinping earlier in the month is meaningful for the development of cross-strait ties.
The remark, issued Wednesday, was China’s first official response to the Ma-Xi meeting, which took place on November 7 in Singapore.
Spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, An Fengshan, said the two leaders affirmed the peaceful development of cross-strait relations since 2008. An said both sides believe the 1992 Consensus should continue to be used to strengthen the political foundation between the two sides, strengthen cooperation and exchanges, and promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and regional security.
The 1992 Consensus is an unwritten agreement in which Taiwan and China agree to the principle of “One China, each side with its own interpretation”.
An said that Ma and Xi have come to an important consensus and have pointed out the direction, foundation, path and goal for cross-strait relations.
An also said the two sides of the strait were able to hold high level talks, increase mutual trust, and clarify direction based on the principle of “one China”. He also said they were able to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He said this will help the revival of the ethnic Chinese people.
He said that China has shown proactivity in issues such as the trade in goods agreement, setting up cross-strait representative offices, and Taiwan’s accession to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.