TAIPEI -- The Taiwan opposition Democratic Progressive Party said it would not make trouble, stir conflicts or rivalries concerning cross-Strait ties on Thursday, acknowledging that handling the relationship is quite "challenging".
In a statement released after a meeting discussing the mainland policies, Tsai Ing-wen, DPP chair and the party's candidate for the 2016 election, said the party has the confidence to properly deal with cross-Strait ties and avoid accidents. Tsai said DPP's principle in handling cross-Strait relations is to "maintain the status quo", or peace with the Chinese mainland and continue the stable development of cross-Strait ties.
She said maintaining peace and stability in cross-Strait relations is the prevailing public opinion in Taiwan as cross-Strait ties are of vital importance concerning the island's interests and long-term benefits.
Whether DPP acknowledges the "1992 Consensus" is under spotlight in the run-up to the Taiwan leadership election slated for January 2016.
The "1992 Consensus" was an agreement reached in 1992 with a core of acknowledgment that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China.
Hung Chi-chang, a DPP member and former Straits Exchange Foundation chairman, said he is hoping the DPP will drop its pursuit of "Taiwan independence" should it regain power next year, according to media reports this week.
Hsu Hsin-liang, former DPP chairman, also told mainland media this week that DPP would not reject "reunification" of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland as an option and that "Taiwan independence" is not one of its mainstream values.
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, reiterated on Friday last week that DPP should shed its advocacy for "Taiwan independence" in order to promote cross-Strait ties.
The DPP's insistence on the "one country on each side" idea is a fundamental roadblock to exchanges with the Chinese mainland's Communist Party of China (CPC), Ma said, adding that exchanges between the CPC and Taiwan parties must be conducted on the basis of the "1992 Consensus".
"Only by abnegating the secessionist advocation of Taiwan independence can the DPP truly safeguard stability of the Taiwan Strait and peaceful development of cross-Strait ties," he said.
