Cross-strait talks end in agreement
Print Edition
THE director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, Zhang Zhijun, yesterday urged the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to choose the right path for development of cross-Strait relations.
Zhang was speaking during a meeting with Taiwan’s cross-Strait affairs chief Andrew Hsia in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province.
Zhang said both sides of the Strait should consider public opinion and take the need to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into account when making decisions.
He said the mainland and Taiwan are inseparable and share a common destiny.
He called on both sides to adhere to the political basis of upholding the “1992 Consensus” and oppose “Taiwan independence,” to get over difficulties and make joint efforts for the Chinese nation’s renewal and people’s happiness.
He said the cross-Strait situation had experienced some choppy times and even reached a perilous brink at one point but, since 2008, both sides had managed to steer cross-Strait ties toward the direction of peaceful development, yielding fruitful achievements and bringing about practical benefits for the public. “It has been proven that the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties is a right path and it has been endorsed by the public on both sides and welcomed by the international community,” he said.
Hsia said the achievements over the last seven years in cross-Strait development must be cherished and protected, noting that the “1992 Consensus” was the foundation for normal exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland.
The core of the “1992 Consensus” is the acknowledgment that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China.
Some of the problems existing between the two sides may not be solved in a day, but require both sides to be realistic, accumulate consensus and use rational thinking, patience and perseverance, Hsia said.
He said that despite some outside opinions and guesses on the prospect of cross-Strait ties, the majority of people in Taiwan entertain the hope for peace and prosperity across the Strait.
“I believe it is also the common wish of all relevant parties in this region,” he added.
Hsia called on both sides to continue cross-Strait institutional consultations and strengthen exchanges.
The two sides agreed that the mainland and Taiwan should continue communication between their cross-Strait affairs agencies in multiple forms and improve efficiency in handling cross-Strait issues.
They also agreed that the two sides should carry on the negotiations of further cross-Strait agreements including those regarding a pact on trade in goods and one on environmental protection.
They also pledged to create a more fair and effective investment environment to boost investor confidence, work for the earlier implementation of existing agreements on service trade, taxation and air safety, improve cross-Strait tourism and promote cross-Strait exchanges for youth, culture and education.
At a press conference held after yesterday’s meeting, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, stressed the importance of adhering to the “1992 Consensus” in cross-Strait development.
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