Chinese President Jiang Zemin stated that China and Taiwan should set aside their political differences and negotiate with each other. In his opening speech at the Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing today, Mr. Jiang said that if Taiwan accepts the policy known as 'One China', negotiations could resume at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Jiang also mentioned that China does not rule out the use of military force if Taiwan declares independence. Taiwan immediately reacted to these statements. Chen Ming-tong, Deputy Minister responsible for China affairs, stated that Taiwan has long expressed its interest in resuming negotiations, but this should be done without any preconditions. Mr. Chen urged China to stop threatening to attack Taiwan, as he stated that resorting to force is not a good way to foster friendship. Under the policy known as 'One China, Two Systems', which is also applied to Hong Kong and Macau, Taiwan is recognized as part of China but can operate more independently than mainland China.
Chinese President Calls for Negotiation with Taiwan - 2002-11-08
Chinese President Jiang Zemin has called for negotiations with Taiwan, contingent on Taiwan accepting the 'One China' policy. Taiwan has expressed a willingness to negotiate without preconditions and has urged China to refrain from military threats. This situation is significant as it highlights ongoing tensions in cross-strait relations.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Chinese President Jiang Zemin called for negotiations with Taiwan, contingent on Taiwan accepting the 'One China' policy. Taiwan responded by expressing willingness to negotiate without preconditions and urged China to refrain from military threats.
- Jiang Zemin emphasized the importance of the 'One China' policy for negotiations.
- Taiwan's government has indicated its desire for dialogue but insists on no preconditions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The 'One China' policy asserts that there is only one sovereign state under the name China, which includes Taiwan, while Taiwan operates with its own government and democratic system. This longstanding dispute has led to periodic escalations in tensions.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%