Mainland urges Taiwan to return to 1992 Consensus

BEIJING -- A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday urged authorities in Taiwan to return to the 1992 Consensus, describing this agreement reached by the two sides 32 years ago as the "anchor for peace and stability" in the region.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the statement in response to recent remarks from officials of Taiwan's mainland affairs council and the Straits Exchange Foundation denying the 1992 Consensus.

She recounted how the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Straits Exchange Foundation from Taiwan in 1992 reached the consensus, which was expressed orally but backed by written records, articulating the shared commitment to the one-China principle across the Strait.

The 1992 Consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-Strait relations, which acknowledges that both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, and this relationship is neither state-to-state relations nor "one China, one Taiwan," Zhu said.

This has laid the political foundation for the development of cross-Strait relations, Zhu said, adding that it has enabled cross-Strait consultations and negotiations, facilitated exchanges between the political parties of the two sides, and institutionalized consultations and communication across the Strait.

Any intentional misinterpretation of history, denial of the 1992 Consensus' significance, or claims that portray it as outdated are unhelpful to improving cross-Strait relations, Zhu added.