BreakingFundamental consensus: semi-official cross-strait talks rest on 1992 deal, Beijing tells Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen

Beijing said on Wednesday that revival of a semi-official consultation channel with Taipei hinged on Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen authorising Taipei’s side to recognise the 1992 consensus on the “one China” principle.

The remarks came as Tsai, who is visiting Paraguay, said her government would continue to look for ways to maintain dialogue with the mainland.

Beijing suspended communications with Taipei when Tsai failed to publicly acknowledge the consensus in her inauguration speech last month. Beijing says the consensus is the political foundation of its dealings with Taipei.

“No matter what party is in government in Taiwan, we always have a single, common objective: to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Tsai said during her official visit to Asuncion, Taipei’s diplomatic ally in South America.

“We will continue the dialogue with mainland China, as even though, probably at this moment, official negotiation channels have been temporarily interrupted, there still exist other options for communication and dialogue.”

In Beijing, An Fengshan, spokesman for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, blamed Taipei for the suspension of ­official and semi-official communication channels.