Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed Beijing’s willingness to engage in dialogue with Taiwan over national reunification, on the condition that discussions adhere to the “One China” principle and the “1992 Consensus.”
Speaking at an event held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Republic of China, Xi said China was prepared to hold dialogue and consultations with representatives from various sectors of Taiwanese society on cross-strait relations and national reunification.
He added that any dialogue on the issue must be based on adherence to the “One China” principle and the “1992 Consensus.”
What Is the 1992 Consensus?
The “1992 Consensus” refers to an understanding reached during a historic semi-official meeting in Hong Kong between representatives of the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang, the party that governed Taiwan at the time.
The understanding recognizes that there is only one China in the world, while allowing each side to maintain its own interpretation of what that principle means.
Beijing considers the People’s Republic of China, established on October 1, 1949, following the Chinese Civil War, to be the sole legitimate representation of China.
Taipei, meanwhile, maintains that the reference is to the Republic of China, which governed mainland China before 1949.
