'1992 Consensus' reiterated for cross-Strait ties

BEIJING - The "1992 Consensus" remains a key political foundation for negotiations and mutual trust between the mainland and Taiwan, a Chinese mainland spokesman said on Wednesday.

Yang Yi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, reiterated the mainland's policy towards Taiwan during a press conference.He added that the "1992 Consensus" was also key for the peaceful development of ties between the mainland and Taiwan.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the "1992 Consensus."

"Our stance remains clear and consistent. The mainland and Taiwan belong to one China and their relations are not a 'country to country' one," he said.

Meanwhile, Yang said the mainland is willing to hear and consider rational and constructive opinions and suggestions on cross-Straits ties raised by the people of Taiwan.

In November 1992, the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation reached a common understanding that each of the two organizations should express verbally that "both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the One-China Principle."

The ARATS and the SEF are non-government organizations that have been entrusted to handle cross-Straits affairs by mainland and Taiwan authorities respectively.

Based on the common ground of the "1992 Consensus" and opposing "Taiwan independence," the mainland and Taiwan over the past four years have maintained peaceful development of the relations, according to Yang.