An official with the Chinese mainland’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) clarified the country's stance on the 1992 Consensus on Sunday. It was in response to Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's appeal to restart cross-Straits talks based on the success of that consensus.

“If Chen disregards or distorts the historical facts on the consensus, refusing to accept the 'one-China’ principle and bent on Taiwan independence, he only proves his insincerity about restarting talks across the Straits and will run counter to the expectation of the international community,” the official said.

The official explained that the 1992 Consensus refers to a meeting held between the ARATS and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) of Taiwan in Hong Kong in late October 1992.

A precondition of the consensus was that “both sides of the Straits adhere to the ‘one-China’ principle.”

“If Chen would clearly acknowledge the precondition as well as the facts, while discarding his ‘one country on each side’ principle and Taiwan independence position, the ARATS and SEF could resume talks,” the official said.

According to the official, as exchanges in trade, economy and other fields across the Taiwan Straits had increased since late 1987, Taiwan’s authorities adjusted their policy of ‘no contact, no concession and no negotiation’ and set up the SEF to contact and negotiate with the Chinese mainland over problems as they occurred. The Chinese mainland agreed to hold negotiations by establishing the ARATS in December 1991.

At the start of negotiations, he continued, the ARATS maintained that it was essential to stick to a ‘one-China’ policy in negotiations and agreements, despite the great political differences of the two sides.

“On August 1, 1992 Taiwan’s national reunification committee agreed wording on the ‘one-China’ policy, stating that though there are different readings of the principle, both sides could agree to it," he said. This paved the way for the 1992 Consensus.

A summary of the Wang-Koo Talks (named for Wang Daohan and Koo Chen-fu, then leaders of the ARATS and SEF respectively) published in August 1993 stated that the consensus reached was quite clear: both sides had worked hard to seek common points while reserving differences in interpreting the precise meaning of ‘one-China.’

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2004)