The “1992 Consensus”

The “1992 Consensus” was an oral agreement reached between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), resulting from talks they held between late October and early December of 1992. The two non-governmental organizations agreed that “both sides of the Taiwan Straits will follow the one-China principle,” and this subsequently became the political foundation for cross-Straits consultations.

The kernel of the “1992 Consensus” is the “one-China principle,” which means seeking common ground while reserving differences. The “1992 Consensus” defines cross-Straits relations as neither “state-to-state” nor “one China, one Taiwan,” but confirms the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China.

The “1992 Consensus” is the foundation on which cross-Straits relations can progress positively in peace and stability. It therefore holds the key to peaceful development between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. By recognizing the “1992 Consensus” and accepting that the two sides both belong to one China, both sides can conduct dialog to address through discussion the concerns of the people of both sides, and no political party or group in Taiwan will have any difficulty in conducting exchanges with the mainland.

Addressing the meeting in January 2019 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the publication of the Message to Our Compatriots in Taiwan, Xi Jinping made a call that, on the shared political foundation of the “1992 Consensus” and struggle against “Taiwan independence,” the political parties and people from all walks of life on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, select their representatives to conduct extensive democratic consultations on cross-Straits relations and the future of the Chinese nation, and make institutional plans for promoting peaceful development of cross-Straits relations,

“九二共識”

1992年10月底至12月初，中國大陸的民間團體——海峽兩岸關系協會與臺灣的民間團體——海峽交流基金會，經過多次磋商，最終形成了以口頭方式表達的“海峽兩岸均堅持一個中國的原則”的共識，為實現和推進兩岸協商奠定政治基礎，后被稱為“九二共識”。其核心是“堅持一個中國”，精髓是求同存異。“九二共識”明確界定了兩岸關系的根本性質，即大陸與臺灣同屬一個中國，兩岸關系不是國與國關系，也不是“一中一臺”。“九二共識”是兩岸關系保持和平穩定和良性互動的基礎，是確保兩岸關系和平發展的關鍵。承認“九二共識”的歷史事實，認同兩岸同屬一個中國，兩岸雙方就能開展對話，協商解決兩岸同胞關心的問題，臺灣任何政黨和團體同大陸交往也不會存在障礙。2019年1月在《告臺灣同胞書》發表40周年紀念會上，習近平發出鄭重倡議，在堅持“九二共識”、反對“臺獨”的共同政治基礎上，兩岸各政黨、各界別推舉代表性人士，就兩岸關系和民族未來開展廣泛深入的民主協商，就推動兩岸關系和平發展達成制度性安排。