Taiwan and China have found a model for peaceful coexistence — namely, the so-called “1992 consensus,” or “one China, different interpretations,” President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said on two separate occasions in Boston on Saturday.
Addressing a banquet in honor of Taiwanese expatriates in the US, Ma said that the concept of the “1992 consensus” was proposed by Taiwan and accepted by China.
Some people have described the policy as a “masterpiece of ambiguity,” he said.
Photo: CNA
Regardless of whether it is ambiguous, the consensus has helped the two sides of the Taiwan Strait set aside their sovereignty disputes and pool their efforts for mutual benefit, Ma said.
The “1992 consensus” — a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
To promote peace, Ma said that since he took office, he has been promoting cross-strait relations, and trade and tourism exchanges have reached their highest point in 66 years.
Exchanges between the two sides are helpful for both sides, the president said, adding that he hopes they can continue exchanges and interactions based on the principle of the “1992 consensus.”
During the banquet, Ma also thanked the Massachusetts State House for its concern over burns victims from the June 27 explosion and fire at the Formosa Fun Coast water park in New Taipei City.
Ma also spoke at a seminar at Harvard University, with students, teachers, as well as US academics familiar with Taiwanese affairs attending.
The president reiterated his administration’s commitment to the “status quo,” his “three noes” policy of “no unification, no independence and no use of force,” and peaceful and prosperous cross-strait relations based on the Republic of China’s Constitution and the “1992 consensus.”
Up to 80 percent of the Taiwanese public supports maintaining the “status quo,” an indication that they hope to maintain peaceful and prosperous cross-strait relations created by his administration over the past seven years, Ma was reported as saying.
New York University School of Law professor Jerome Cohen reportedly proposed that Ma be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his initiatives to resolve disputes in the East and South China seas.
Cohen made his proposal during the question-and-answer session after Ma’s speech, saying that he expects Ma to provide more proactive measures to promote peace on Itu Aba (Taiping Island, 太平島) in the South China Sea, according to a person who attended the seminar.
Itu Aba is the biggest Taiwan-controlled island in the contested and resource-rich South China Sea region, which is claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Ma touted the benefits of a fisheries’ agreement signed in 2013 between Taiwan and Japan to address fishing disputes in waters surrounding the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) after his East China Sea peace initiative — which calls for shelving disputes and seeking joint development of resources — was proposed.
Ma said his proposal was based on the idea that “while national sovereignty cannot be divided or compromised, natural resources can be shared,” according to the attendee.
Ma arrived in Boston earlier that day en route to the Caribbean and Central America as part of his 11th overseas visit since assuming office in 2008.
A relatively large earthquake may strike within the next two weeks, following a magnitude 5.2 temblor that shook Taitung County this morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. An earthquake struck at 8:18am today 10.2km west of Taitung County Hall in Taitung City at a relatively shallow depth of 6.5km, CWA data showed. The largest intensity of 4 was felt in Taitung and Pingtung counties, which received an alert notice, while areas north of Taichung did not feel any shaking, the CWA said. The earthquake was the result of the collision between the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate, the agency said, adding
Snow fell in the mountainous areas of northern, central and eastern Taiwan in the early hours of yesterday, as cold air currents moved south. In the northern municipality of Taoyuan, snow started falling at about 6am in Fusing District (復興), district head Su Tso-hsi (蘇佐璽) said. By 10am, Lalashan National Forest Recreation Area, as well as Hualing (華陵), Sanguang (三光) and Gaoyi (高義) boroughs had seen snowfall, Su said. In central Taiwan, Shei-Pa National Park in Miaoli County and Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Nantou County saw snowfall of 5cm and 6cm respectively, by 10am, staff at the parks said. It began snowing
The 2025 Kaohsiung Wonderland–Winter Amusement Park event has teamed up with the Japanese manga series Chiikawa this year for its opening at Love River Bay yesterday, attracting more than 10,000 visitors, the city government said. Following the success of the “2024 Kaohsiung Wonderland” collaboration with a giant inflatable yellow duck installation designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, this year the Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau collaborated with Chiikawa by Japanese illustrator Nagano to present two giant inflatable characters. Two inflatable floats — the main character, Chiikwa, a white bear-like creature with round ears, and Hachiware, a white cat with a blue-tipped tail
HOLIDAY EXERCISE: National forest recreation areas from north to south offer travelers a wide choice of sights to connect with nature and enjoy its benefits Hiking is a good way to improve one’s health, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said, as it released a list of national forest recreation areas that travelers can visit during the Lunar New Year holiday. Taking a green shower of phytoncides in the woods could boost one’s immunity system and metabolism, agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) cited a Japanese study as saying. For people visiting northern Taiwan, Lin recommended the Dongyanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taoyuan’s Fusing District (復興). Once an important plantation in the north, Dongyanshan (東眼山) has a number of historic monuments, he said. The area is broadly covered by
RSS