The US State Department has called for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to keep channels of communication open.
The call comes after President Tsai Ing-wen gave an interview with the Washington Post in which she expressed hopes that Beijing will show more flexibility in cross-strait ties.
Beijing views acceptance of an agreement called the 1992 Consensus as a prerequisite for continued cross-strait ties. Under the consensus, both sides agree that they belong to one China, with each allowing the other to hold its own interpretation of what “one China” means. So far, Tsai has not responded to pressure to accept the consensus.
In June, Beijing announced that it had cut communications with Taiwan.
Tsai told the Post that Taiwan’s government is unlikely to accept any deadline on the 1992 Consensus. However, she said that Taiwan and China have other forms of communication, including those outside official channels. She said has worked to reduce the distance between the two sides, treating cross-strait ties with care, not provoking Beijing, and avoiding surprises. Tsai said that she believes China has seen the goodwill she put forth in her inaugural address.
On Friday, State Department spokesperson Grace Choi told Taiwan’s Central News Agency that the US has an interest in continued cross-strait stability. Choi said that the US welcomes steps by both sides to reduce tensions and improve ties. She said that the US urges both sides to keep channels of communication open, because “clear, direct, and consistent communication supports the continued development of cross-strait relations.”