The Chinese mainland and Taiwan are likely to face many uncertainties if new Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen fails to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus, a scholar warned on Tuesday.
The consensus that embodies the one China principle is a common understanding reached between two organizations authorized by the mainland and Taiwan in 1992. It has since been a common political foundation for the two sides to improve ties and advance cooperation. In her inauguration speech on Friday, Tsai made a few, ambiguous remarks on the 1992 Consensus.
It is a "minimum requirement" for any Taiwan leader, no matter which party he or she is from, to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus and its core implications that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China, said Li Yihu, head of the institute of Taiwan studies at Peking University, in a signed article published by Xinhua.
The mainland has not raised any additional requests of the new Taiwan leader, Li said.
Tsai's predecessor Ma Ying-jeou accepted and overtly supported the consensus. It was only through this common political foundation that the two sides signed various cooperation agreements, established a regular communication mechanism and realized the historic meeting between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou in 2015, according to Li.
All these achievements have had real benefits for the people of Taiwan, recognized by international society as well as people from both sides.
The new Taiwan leader should publicly acknowledge and accept the consensus if she is sincere in promoting the peaceful development process, said Li.
"If not, the development of mainland-Taiwan relations will be full of uncertainty and tranquility will be hard to maintain," Li wrote.
Taiwan's authorities must know that the mainland is unequivocal on the issue, and they should never underestimate the mainland's resolution in opposing "Taiwan independence" in any form, he said.
