President Tsai Ing-wen says it is unlikely Taiwan will accept the political framework called the “1992 Consensus” demanded by China. Tsai was quoted in an interview with the Washington Post published Monday.
The “1992 Consensus” refers to a tacit agreement reached between representatives of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in 1992. Under the consensus, there is only “one China” though each side may have its own interpretation of what that means. This formula formed the basis of cross-strait relations under Tsai’s predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou. But Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party has always been skeptical that anything amounting to a meaningful consensus was ever genuinely achieved at that time.
In her inaugural speech on May 20th, Tsai said she “respects the historical fact” that meetings took place between cross-strait representatives in 1992. Beijing responded to the fact that she did not openly acknowledge the consensus by suspending its official channels of communication with Taiwan.
In the Washington Post interview, Tsai said it is unlikely that Taiwan can accept conditions set by China that go against the will of the people.
She also said that while official channels between Taipei and Beijing have been temporarily suspended, there are exchanges at various levels, though she declined to give more details.
Since taking office in May, Tsai said she has refrained from provocations and unexpected moves where China is concerned. She called on the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, to be more flexible in his approach to cross-strait relations.