Date: November 9, 2015
MAC Press Release No. 63
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (November 9, 2015) issued an official statement responding to the Mainland's views on the meeting between the leaders of the two sides relevant to the "1992 Consensus" and the status of cross-strait relations. The MAC said that the government has positioned cross-strait relations in accordance to the Constitution of the Republic of China (ROC) and its Additional Articles. This position has remained unchanged through the administrations of three presidents. The MAC stressed that the "one China" mentioned by President Ma in the 1992 Consensus of “One China, with respective interpretations,” naturally means the Republic Of China and differs entirely from the Mainland's so-called "one China principle." All parties should face up to this historical fact and not mistake the meaning of President Ma's statements.
The MAC indicated that, during the formal meeting between the leaders of the two sides on November 7, President Ma directly told the Mainland leader that the consensus reached by the two sides in November 1992 was that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait insist on 'one China,' but differ as to what that means, and each side could express its interpretation verbally." This position accords with the ROC Constitution. President Ma has been consistent in his stance on the "1992 Consensus of one China, with respective interpretations." The core of this position is to highlight the ROC's sovereignty and Taiwan's dignity. The Mainland should seriously and pragmatically face up to this.
The MAC stressed that the government promoted the meeting between President Ma and the Mainland leader Xi Jinping under the principle of "reciprocity and dignity." It was the first meeting between the cross-strait leaders in the 66 years of separate governance starting in 1949. It fully reflects acknowledgement by both sides of the principle of "mutual non-recognition of sovereignty and mutual non-denial of authority to govern" in their interactions. Since the meeting, the government has not changed its position on cross-strait relations. It has always insisted on maintaining the status quo of "no unification, no independence and no use of force" under the ROC Constitution framework. As for the future of cross-strait relations, the government will also adhere to the ROC Constitution framework and respect the free choice of the 23 million people of Taiwan; this is also the greatest consensus in Taiwan.