News Reference Material
Date: October 17, 2023
1. For nearly eight years of President Tsai Ing-wen's administration, the government has consistently kept its promises by preserving the cross-Strait status quo. It has been handling cross-Strait affairs in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of China, the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, and other related laws. It has also upheld the "Four Commitments," refrained from provocative or rash actions, and never yielded to pressure or given the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) any pretext to use force against Taiwan. The public opinion surveys conducted over the years have shown strong mainstream public support for President Tsai's policy stance on a firm commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
2. The government has consistently pursued a policy of maintaining cross-Strait peace and stability. It has repeatedly conveyed its willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with the other side of the Taiwan Strait and manage cross-Strait relations in a responsible manner on the basis of parity and dignity and without any political preconditions. However, the CCP has unilaterally imposed the political preconditions of the "one China" principle and "1992 Consensus" to hinder cross-Strait dialogue. It has also escalated its hybrid pressure through military intimidation, economic coercion, and other means, while consistently refusing to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. These actions are the major factors that affect the development of cross-Strait relations and obstruct cross-Strait exchanges and dialogue. By disregarding this fact, placing the blames squarely on the government, and catering to the CCP's political views, Former President Ma’s statements went against the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan.
3. Former president Ma should not selectively forget that, during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Singapore in November 2015, he conceded to pressure from the CCP and agreed not to publicly bring up with Xi Jin Jinping his earlier stance of "one China with respective interpretations." As a responsible politician, former President Ma should make an honest explanation to the nation about whether he has accepted the CCP's current position of "the 1992 Consensus embodying the ’one China’ principle," which relegates the Republic of China to the status of a local government under the CCP’s rule.
4. Under the CCP’s unilateral definition, the "1992 Consensus" should always be premised on the "one China" principle." This definition leaves no room for the existence of the Republic of China and therefore will never be accepted by the government and the people of Taiwan. We again call on Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties and all sectors of the society to stand united and jointly urge the CCP to acknowledge that, the objective cross-Strait status quo is that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other." The government will continue to stand firm on the "Four Commitments," strengthen the "Four Resiliencies," enhance self-defense capabilities, and resolutely protect our national sovereignty and Taiwan's democratic and free values. We will also closely follow developments in the CCP's actions towards Taiwan and make a concerted effort with like-minded countries to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region.