The National Security Bureau (NSB) says that China has tried to use the Taiwan navy’s accidental firing of a missile to pressure Taiwan’s government into accepting the 1992 Consensus.
The 1992 Consensus refers to a tacit agreement reached between the two sides in 1992. Under the consensus, there is “one China” although each side may have its own interpretation of what that means. President Tsai Ing-wen has yet to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus other than saying that “it is a historical fact” that Taipei and Beijing held talks in 1992.
In a new report on Monday, the NSB says that China has tried to link the missile incident with the 1992 Consensus. The report says China has also exaggerated cross-strait tensions even though there have been no signs of China mobilizing its troops after the missile incident.
One of the examples listed in the report was that the head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhang Zhijun, had called for an explanation for the missile incident and urged the use of the 1992 Consensus as a basis of cross-strait peace.
Some extreme Chinese media have also said the firing of the missile was provocative, and not an isolated incident.