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Updated Thursday, September 30, 2010 9:55 am TWN, The China Post news staff

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China questions DPP's position on cross-strait affairs

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Mainland China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson Fan Liqing (范麗青) yesterday questioned the statement by opposition Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) that her party will continue the current cross-strait policy if it returns to power.

When asked about her opinion on Tsai's statement made in an interview with Taiwanese newspaper Apply Daily in a routine press conference, Fan said that she had read the article but has doubts on Tsai's credibility.

“I don't know if it is just campaign rhetoric. The DPP is often inconsistent with its words,” Fan said.

Fan stressed that the development of peaceful cross-strait relationship should be based on the rejection of Taiwan independence and the upholding of the 1992 consensus.

In addition to Fan's interpretation of Tsai's statement, yesterday's press conference also focused on the recent comments by TAO head Wang Yi (王毅) on the possible uncertainty in cross-strait relations.

In recent speeches, Wang had frequently mentioned the need for people in both China and Taiwan to cherish, maintain and develop the current cross-strait exchanges in various fields.

When asked by Taiwanese media if that means there is uncertainty in the relations between the two sides, Wang said that while the current trend of cross-strait relations is good in general, there are “elements of uncertainty.” Wang did not elaborate, only telling the press that “you know what I am talking about.”

Some Taiwanese news outlets interpreted that as a referral to the upcoming mayoral elections that might be a hurdle to cross-strait exchanges.

Fan said yesterday that Taiwan-China interactions will not stop because of the elections, stressing that the core message of Wang's statement is that both sides should cherish the current good cross-strait relations, which do not come easy.

One of such interactions is the upcoming visit by the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), which Fan said will take place on a date that has yet to be chosen by the ARATS and its Taiwanese counterpart Straits Exchange Foundation.

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