A Question of Principle

Xi Jinping， General Secretary of the Communist Party of China （CPC） Central Committee， met a delegation led by Hung Hsiu-chu， leader of the Kuomintang （KMT） party， on November 1. This is the first time that Xi has met a party delegation from Taiwan since the Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） came to power there in May.

Xis statement during the meeting emphasized the guiding principle for dealing with crossStraits relations in the future. The president made it clear that the key to relations between the mainland and Taiwan lies in whether the ruling DPP agrees to the one-China principle， which is at the center of the 1992 Consensus.

Incumbent Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen not only failed to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus during her inaugural speech on May 20， but has also declared an anti-mainland approach， thereby exposing her partys secessionist intention.

“Taiwan independence” has no future. Opposition to “Taiwan independence” and ensuring national sovereignty and territorial integrity represent Chinas core interests—a red line not to be crossed. Tsais refusal to adhere to the one-China principle cannot change the fact that the two sides belong to one and the same China. Just as Xi said while meeting the visiting KMT delegation， “Changes in Taiwans political landscape cannot change the historical facts underlying， and the core connotation of， the 1992 Consensus.”

The consensus was reached by the main- land-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits （ARATS） and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation （SEF）， organizations officially authorized to handle cross-Straits relations， in November 1992.

History has shown that acknowledgement of the 1992 Consensus leads to peaceful relations across the Straits and benefits for Taiwan. During former KMT head Ma Ying-jeous eightyear stint as leader of Taiwan， positive results were achieved in negotiations between the two sides as a result of his public consent to the consensus. The ARATS and the SEF held 11 rounds of talks during which they jointly made institutional arrangements for economic cooperation， people-to-people exchanges and improvements to peoples livelihoods.

This indicates that peaceful cross-Straits relations are the right path， beneficial to people on both sides， and that opposition to “Taiwan independence” and adherence to the 1992 Consensus are the anchorage for cross-Straits relations.

Taiwans future is not for the DPP to decide but rests in the hands of the over 1.3 billion people on both sides. Hopefully， the DPP can face up to this reality， alter course and return to the path of sound development of crossStraits ties based on the recognition of one China. Various political parties and organizations in Taiwan should also act together in the interest of shared peace and prosperity across the Straits.