Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's suggestion to base future cross-Straits talks on the results of the 1992 Meeting was nothing other than word-play as well as a gesture that aimed to create the illusion that a renewed dialogue was still possible. This was the main idea of a signed article published in Ta Kung Pao Tuesday. It was written by Sze Cheung-pang, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Excerpts follow:

Several days before delivering his speech on October 10, Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian invited world attention over his speech which, he hinted, would have positive and constructive implications on and contributions towards the improvement of cross-Straits relations and Sino-US ties as well as world peace.

One of Chen's major announcements, which was considered to be something new in his speech, was his suggestion for Taiwan and the mainland to use the 1992 Hong Kong Meeting as a basis to map out a "less-than-perfect but acceptable plan" as a preparation for further consultation and talks.

As we all know, the mainland has hoped that the island administration's stance could return to the 1992 Consensus so that negotiations could resume.

Chen's promise to base future talks on the 1992 Meeting has, therefore, given some people hope, and some pundits feel that Chen has at least created some leeway in a relatively ambiguous way.

The crucial question is whether Chen's proposal means he is really willing to return to the 1992 Consensus or whether there is at least such a possibility. The answer is negative.

When they held talks in Hong Kong in 1992, the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) of Taipei arrived at the consensus of "One country, different interpretations". In the eight-point proposal that SEF put forward to ARATS, it was explicitly suggested that "both sides should insist on the principle of one-China" and "the two governments across the Straits should strive for national unification". ARATS' five-point proposal also incorporated this consensus.

The Chen administration, however, has ignored historical facts and consistently denied the existence of the 1992 Consensus.

On July 31, 2000, at his second press conference after assuming office, Chen referred specifically to the talks that took place in Hong Kong in 1992. He denied that the two sides had arrived at a "one China" consensus during the meeting. He said there was instead a 1992 Spirit, which, according to his fabrication, was "dialogues, exchange, and putting aside disputes".

In his speech on October 10, 2000, Chen proposed to use the "1992 Spirit" as the basis for resumption of talks with the mainland, a suggestion that was naturally rejected by Beijing. Mainstream opinion on the island and those of insight pointed out at that time that Chen was playing with words in order to neutralize the 1992 Consensus and avoid the "one China" principle, an indication that he had no sincerity in bettering ties with the mainland.

Chen's other major declaration in his October 10 speech over the cross-Straits issue was that "the Republic of China (ROC) is Taiwan, and Taiwan is ROC". Lee Teng-hui once said that "ROC is in Taiwan". Chen took one step further with his unprecedented remarks on October 10, showing that the separatists are moving closer than ever to the baseline of "Taiwan separatism".

Lee and Chen were in the process of drawing up a "constitution" for an independent Taiwan, and Chen's declarations were to build up public opinion for this purpose. All these points foretell that the possibility of a breakthrough in their cause of Taiwan independence has become increasingly high.

If we take a closer look at Chen's speech on October 10, we can see that except for the mention of "ROC" in the beginning and the end parts, the entire speech was permeated with the theme of "de-sinoization". This has proven the island media's prediction that October 10 this year would be a "National Day without ROC".

Source: China Daily HK Edition