Breaking | Beijing cuts Ma-era cross-strait communication channel with Taiwan
Move seen as mainland ratcheting up pressure on government of Tsai Ing-wen to recognise 1992 consensus one-China principle
The mainland said on Saturday that it has stopped a communication mechanism with Taiwan, foiling the attempt by the island’s new government to break the current deadlock over cross-strait ties.
With neither side showing a sign of reaching a compromise, analysts said such a state would remain the status quo until one side relented.
In practical terms, Taiwan cannot suffer indefinitely, economically and politically, experts said.
In what appeared to be the first official comment from Beijing on the communication channel set up by the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) and the island’s Mainland Affairs Council in 2014, TAO spokesman An Fengshan confirmed that mechanism had been cut off.
“Because the Taiwan side has been unable to recognise the 1992 consensus – the joint political basis for showing the one-China principle – the cross-strait contact and communication mechanism has been suspended since May 20”, An said in a statement carried by Xinhua on Saturday.
The consensus refers to an understanding made in 1992 by representatives of the two sides in Hong Kong, which states that both sides agree there is only one China, with each having their own interpretation of what that stands for.