Island's policy chief suggests a different negotiating format
Taiwan yesterday ruled out accepting the 'one China' principle or the '1992 consensus' in return for the mainland holding talks with anyone from Taiwan up to and including President Chen Shui-bian.
'We can never accept this,' said Joseph Wu Jau-shieh, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, the island's top mainland policy body.
Mr Wu was referring to a comment by Jia Qinglin , chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Mr Jia had said that regardless of what someone had said or done before, as long as he recognised the '1992 consensus' and the 'one China' principle, the mainland was prepared to return immediately to the negotiating table.
Mr Wu had a suggestion of his own: that the two sides return to the negotiating format agreed in 1992 in Hong Kong, when negotiators from the two sides of the Taiwan Strait temporarily set aside political differences to prepare for their landmark talks in Singapore the following year.
'That [1992 meeting in Hong Kong] is a historical fact. It is much better than the so-called 1992 consensus, [and] most appropriate for the two sides [if they are to resume talks].'
