The president stated that since he took office in 2008 the ROC government has consistently sought, under the framework of the ROC Constitution, to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait ties under the 1992 Consensus, whereby each side acknowledges the existence of "one China" but maintains its own interpretation of what that means. This, he said, has enabled the current level of cross-strait peace and stability, which is unprecedented in the past 66 years. This past February, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel also recognized the progress in cross-strait relations. He believes that the development of Taiwan-US relations over the past several years has been extremely constructive, and that this is closely related to progress in cross-strait relations.
President Ma then explained that with the ROC slated to elect a new president in 2016, how cross-strait relations will be maintained is becoming a main topic for discussion. Some individuals are skeptical about the existence of the 1992 Consensus, but the president said that "not only does the 1992 Consensus exist, but it has been in existence for 23 years." Experience has proven that when we abide by the 1992 Consensus, cross-strait relations flourish; if we diverge from it, cross-strait relations will deteriorate; and if we oppose it, there will be turmoil in the Taiwan Strait. Consequently, the president said that whichever party holds power in the future, "this basic political consensus between the two sides should be maintained."
【Source: Office of the President】