Taiwan will not accept China’s ‘one country, two systems’, says Tsai

TAIPEI - Taiwan was willing to engage in negotiations with China, but all political consultations must be authorised and monitored by the people, and no individual or group had the right to represent the public in such talks, Taiwan's President, Tsai Ing-wen, has declared.

The President was responding to remarks made in a speech delivered by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in which he proposed further exploration of a "one country, two systems" scenario for Taiwan.

Tsai said Taiwan had never accepted what China refers to as the "1992 Consensus" because the definition used by the Beijing authorities was "one country, two systems" and this was resolutely opposed by the vast majority of Taiwan's people.
 
The nation would absolutely not accept "one country, two systems" and public opposition to it formed a Taiwan consensus, she said.
 
The President said that, despite suffering many forms of suppression, Taiwan had faithfully fulfilled its responsibilities as a member of the international community and contributed to cross-strait and regional peace and stability over the past two years.
 
The future development of cross-strait relations required that China face the reality of the existence of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and not deny the democratic system established by the people, she said.
 
Beijing must also respect the commitment of the 23 million people of Taiwan to freedom and democracy, and not foster divisions or offer inducements to interfere with the choices they make, she added.
 
Instead of using suppression and intimidation to get the people of Taiwan to submit, Tsai said China must handle cross-strait differences peacefully and on the basis of equality. All negotiations must be conducted by governments or government-authorised agencies.
 
According to the President, these "four musts" were the most crucial foundations in determining whether cross-strait ties developed in a positive direction.
 
Tsai urged China to accept the responsibilities and to act with the demeanour befitting a superpower, adding that the global community was waiting to see whether China could enact reforms and become a trustworthy partner.
 
The people of Taiwan cherished their values and way of life, Tsai said. China should bravely move toward democracy so that it could truly understand these ideals and commitments.  www.mofa.gov.tw (ATI).