1st LD-Writethru: People's Daily stresses 1992 Consensus as Taiwan leader takes office

The flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC) urged Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen to develop peaceful cross-Strait ties and stop taking an ambiguous attitude toward the "fundamental issue."

"We will not only listen to what she says, but also see what she will do," said the People's Daily in a commentary to be carried in its Saturday edition.

The commentary came after Taiwan's new leader, Tsai Ing-wen, took office on Friday morning.

The People's Daily asked whether she will bring cross-Strait ties closer, or push the two sides further apart, and whether she will follow the correct path of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, or push for "Taiwan independence" while claiming to "maintain the status quo."

A choice of different paths leads to different futures, and this choice involves the direct interests of people on both sides of the Strait and the peace and stability of the region, the commentary added.

People on both sides of the Strait will wait and see how Taiwan authorities make this choice based on their actual deeds, the People's Daily said.

The commentary said although Tsai has stated she will continue to advance peaceful and stable growth of cross-Strait relations, she has deliberately avoided the core implications of the 1992 Consensus and has been ambiguous about the nature of cross-Strait relations.

On the essential question of whether she will explicitly adhere to the political foundation of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, her answer sheet was "incomplete," said the commentary.

The results of cross-Strait peaceful development did not fall from the sky. The 1992 Consensus is the prerequisite and basis for the two sides to build political mutual trust and achieve virtuous interaction, the commentary said.

The 1992 Consensus stipulates that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China and that cross-Strait ties are not state-to-state relations.

"Our bottom line is clear and our stance is firm in the fundamental issue of the nature of cross-Strait relations, without any ambiguity or compromise," the commentary said.

Peace, exchanges and cooperation have become mainstream public opinion on both sides. Taiwan people long for economic development and do not want to change the current peaceful trend of cross-Strait ties.

Taiwan's new leader must clearly respond about the nature of cross-Strait relations, which is a "fundamental issue," the commentary said, adding that Tsai must finish the incomplete answer.

"On the issue of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, our stance is consistent and has never changed, with a strong will as solid as a rock," said the newspaper.

"We firmly hold predominant power in cross-Strait relations, despite the complexity and severity of the situation," said the commentary, adding that no force can impede compatriots of the two sides in achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Endi