Premier Lin Chuan says no political preconditions should be attached to cross-strait exchanges. Lin was speaking Tuesday in response to a recent trip by eight local government chiefs to meet with China’s top Taiwan affairs official in Beijing.
The local government heads were in Beijing to promote Taiwan’s agricultural products and to expand cross-strait tourism and cultural exchanges. China in the meantime insisted on Taiwan recognizing the 1992 Consensus. This is understood to be a tacit agreement that there is only one China, with each side free to interpret what that means. It formed a framework for dialogue under the previous Ma Ying-jeou administration. But President Tsai Ing-wen declined to acknowledge the consensus when she assumed the presidency in May.
Premier Lin said he welcomes cross-strait exchanges but not when they come with such conditions attached.
“I want to reiterate the fact that we welcome any form of exchange between the two sides. But we also want to emphasize there should be no political preconditions attached to these exchanges. We also hope that Taiwan’s sovereignty and dignity will not be hurt by the exchanges,” said Lin.
Meanwhile, Mainland Affairs Council minister Katherine Chang said the Tsai administration respects the historical reality of the 1992 Consensus. She said she hopes that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will resume dialogue as soon as possible.