President Ma Ying-jeou says that the 1992 Consensus is key to both Taiwan’s international position and the cross-strait status quo.
Ma was speaking Wednesday at an event honoring officials who have made special contributions to cross-strait exchanges. Ma will be leaving office on May 20, ending a presidency characterized by closer ties with Beijing.
The 1992 Consensus refers to a tacit understanding between Taiwan and Mainland China that both belong to “One China”. However, under the consensus, both sides are allowed to maintain separate interpretations of what “One China” means.
Ma said that Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, has lost many of its allies since 1971, the year Beijing took its seat at the UN. Since then, he said, Taiwan has been unable to join UN organizations or become a signatory of international treaties.
Ma criticized the Democratic Progressive Party, winners of this year’s general election, for the belief that Taiwan’s removal from the UN has nothing to do with the principal of “One China”.
Ma said that using the name “Chinese Taipei”, Taiwan has been able to return to the World Health Assembly as an observer after an absence of several decades. Ma said that this is a positive effect of improved cross-strait relations.
Ma said that without the 1992 Consensus, it will be difficult to maintain the cross-strait status quo. He said that the consensus was initially Taiwan’s proposal, accepted by Mainland authorities and never imposed on Taiwan. Ma said that Taiwan should value the progress that its previous leaders made.