Talks on Taiwan must be based on one-China principle: Spokesman

BEIJING - A spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Thursday stressed that talks and arrangements for Taiwan's participation in international organizations must be based on the one-China principle.

Ma Xiaoguang made the remarks in response to a question about Taiwan's wish to attend the 39th session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly.

"Our position is clear and consistent. That is such participation must be arranged through negotiations between the mainland and Taiwan based on the one-China principle," Ma said.

Ma said that since 2008, the mainland has made practical arrangements regarding Taiwan's participation in some international organizations and activities through negotiations with the island. Such arrangements were achieved on the basis of both sides adhering to the "1992 Consensus" and under the precondition that they would not cause "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan."

The spokesman went on to say that Taiwan's authorities have yet to recognize the "1992 Consensus" or its essence, leading to a standstill of cross-Strait communication, "Taiwan bears full responsibility for this situation."

"Only by recognizing the political basis of one China could the two sides continue their institutional exchanges and make talks on Taiwan's participation in international organizations possible," Ma said.

The civil aviation authorities of Taiwan were invited to send staff as non-voting delegates to attend the ICAO Assembly's 38th session in 2013, after the mainland and Taiwan exchanged views on this issue.