No deals on mainland China visit, Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai warns KMT chairwoman

Cheng Li-wun’s coming cross-strait visit has rattled Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party and exposed unease even within KMT ranks.

Photo: Reuters Taiwan’s Premier Cho Jung-tai has warned the chairwoman of the main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) against engaging in talks or agreements involving government authority when she visits mainland China next month.

Cheng Li-wun’s coming visit has rattled Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and exposed unease even within KMT ranks – highlighting mounting friction over the opposition outreach to Beijing amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Cheng is expected to lead a delegation to mainland China from April 7 to 12, with a possible meeting with Communist Party leader Xi Jinping drawing scrutiny in Taipei.

Speaking in the legislature on Tuesday, Cho said that any cross-strait engagement must comply with existing laws and stressed that no individual or group was authorised to negotiate on behalf of the government.

Talks involving Taiwan’s interests, security or public authority “must strictly follow legal requirements”, he said, adding that engagement under the framework of “one China” or the “1992 consensus” would “not be beneficial to Taiwan”. “Public opinion in Taiwan consistently shows that people do not accept the ‘1992 consensus’ as a shared basis, nor do they believe the world follows a ‘one China’ framework,” Cho said.

The 1992 consensus refers to a verbal understanding reached between the then-ruling KMT and Beijing that both sides agree there is “one China”, but with different interpretations.

DPP lawmaker Chiu Yi-ying questioned whether any KMT legislators – particularly those from the legislature’s foreign affairs and defence committee – would join the delegation, and what discussions might take place. “How do we know what is discussed behind closed doors?” she said, raising concerns about the handling of sensitive information.

Mainland Affairs Council chairman Chiu Chui-cheng, who attended the legislative meeting, said unauthorised groups were prohibited from entering into political agreements with Beijing, warning that violations could incur criminal penalties.

Beijing’s “united front” tactics – or influence warfare – risked dividing Taiwan internally and sending misleading signals abroad, he cautioned. “Peace is an ideal, but it cannot be based on illusions,” Chiu said. “It must rest on strength, determination and preparation.” In a statement on the visit

原文链接: 南华早报