The candidates who are vying to become chairperson of one of Taiwan’s two main political parties – the Kuomintang (KMT) – are sparring over their different cross-strait policies.
The current KMT administration has built ties with Mainland China for the last eight years on the basis of the “’92 Consensus”. That consensus says that there is “one China” with each side reserving its own interpretation of one “one China” means.
One candidate, former Legislature Vice President Hung Hsiu-chu, has taken flak for her policy of “one China, same interpretation.” The other candidates have criticized the position, with one of them – Lee Hsin – saying it’s the wrong path to take. He’s promoting instead, the “’92 Consensus, insisting upon separate interpretations.”
At a forum on Sunday, Hung responded to the criticism from her fellow candidates. She said that it was regrettable for the other candidates to criticize her perspective without understanding it. Hung proposed holding an open debate and called for an end to the ridicule and to people discrediting her.