Date: March 16, 2016
MAC Press Release No. 24
In response to a Mainland statement on cross-strait relations at a press conference after the National People's Congress session, the MAC stated today (March 16, 2016) that, since 2008, the ROC government has promoted institutionalized negotiations and official interaction on the 1992 Consensus foundation of “one China, with respective interpretations.” This has provided institutionalized protection for the rights and interests of people on both sides and created a model for regional peace. The MAC emphasized that, throughout the past nearly 30 years of cross-strait exchanges and interaction, Taiwan has played a vital role in the course of the Mainland's economic development and institutional reforms through investment and social, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides have fully realized the positive benefits of learning from and complimenting each other, which is a win-win outcome that should be cherished by both sides.
The MAC reiterated the government’s insistence on the positioning of cross-strait relations to be in accordance with the ROC Constitution, namely the "one Republic of China with two areas" principle. It also stated that the Mainland should squarely face the fact that the two sides have been divided by the Strait and separately governed for 67 years, and should also respect and understand public opinion and sentiment in Taiwan.
The MAC stressed that maintaining positive cross-strait interaction is the shared responsibility of both sides. Institutionalized cross-strait negotiations, official interaction, and exchanges and cooperation in various fields are important cornerstones for the institutional development of peaceful and stable cross-strait relations and that the two sides should continue, pass down, solidify and deepen such interactions so as to truly create future happiness and well-being for the people on both sides.