Beijing Voices Only One Side of 1992 Consensus

A Commentary

Beijing Voices Only One Side of 1992 Consensus

Source: United Daily News

By Chen I-hsin (Professor, Tamkang University)

Li Yafei, vice chairman of the Mainland’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), said yesterday during his visit in Taiwan that “the 1992 Consensus” was the consensus reached by the ARATS and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) in 1992, in which “both sides of the Straits, each verbally, interpret the One China Principle insisted by either side of the Strait.” However, Li’s interpretation of the 1992 Consensus was not exactly the same as that of the Taiwan side.      

In fact, the National Unification Council (NUC) of the Republic of China adopted a resolution defining the meaning of “One China” on August 1^st, 1992. The most important part with regard to the interpretation of “One China” was: “Both sides of the Taiwan Strait agree that there is only one China. However, the two sides of the Strait have different opinions as to the meaning of “one China.” To Peking, “one China” means “the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with Taiwan to become a “Special Administrative Region” after unification. Taipei, on the other hand, considers “one China” to mean the Republic of China (ROC), founded in 1912 and with de jure sovereignty over all of China. The ROC, however, currently has jurisdiction only over Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. Taiwan is part of China, and the Chinese mainland is part of China as well.”  

ARATS vice chairman Li stressed that both sides of the Strait stuck to the “One China Principle.” However, apparently, he neglected to mention the differences in the interpretation of the “One China” principle held by both sides of the Strait.

The SEF and the ARATS reached the following consensus during their talks in 1992. First, each side verbally interprets the “One China” principle. That is, “One China, Respective Interpretations,” or “Respectively Interpreting One China.” The idea was proposed by Taipei and was accepted by Beijing, leading to the later Koo-Wang Talks. Second, the content of Taipei’s statement included the National Unification Guidelines and “the meaning of One China.” With regard to this, Beijing expressed their acknowledgement. Third, the ARATS also proposed its own interpretation of “One China” under the principle of “One China, Respective Interpretations.”         

Before Beijing announced a halt to all consultations between the ARATS and the SEF in June 1995, the Mainland had never denied the consensus. After then President Lee Teng-hui offered the “special state-to-state relations” on July 9^th, 1999, then ARATS chairman Wang Daohan responded with deep regret, saying, “The foundation for the exchanges between the ARATS and the SEF no longer exists.”

In spite of this, the KMT has maintained that the 1992 Consensus is the only political compromise for both sides of the Strait since 1949, and also an essential element of the “existing foundation” for the development of cross-Strait relations. After the KMT’s Ma Ying-jeou won the Presidential election in March 2008, PRC national leader Hu Jintao, during a telephone conversation with then US President George W. Bush, mentioned the 1992 Consensus, giving credence to the fact that the 1992 consensus was the key to the start of cross-Strait negotiations.    

However, during ARATS vice chairman Li’s visit in Taipei, he only mentioned the former part of the “One China, Respective Interpretations” under the 1992 Consensus, while ignoring the latter part, erasing the most essential part of the 1992 Consensus for Taiwan.

The United Daily News published an editorial on August 9^th, titled “Do Not Pokes Holes in the 1992 Consensus.” Although ARATS vice chairman Li did not poke holes in the 1992 Consensus, he was actually doing one thing under the cover of another in an effort to guide the 1992 Consensus in Beijing’s favored direction.  

Attachment : none