Mr. Xi, ladies and gentlemen of the mainland and Taiwan delegations, and friends from the media, good afternoon, everyone!
Today, Mr. Xi and I, as leaders of Taiwan and the mainland respectively, have traversed 66 years of time and space to shake hands. We are shaking hands with the past and future of cross-strait relations, and with the hope of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, which holds profound historical significance.
📜 Historical Review and Foundation for Peace
22 years ago, in April 1993, Mr. Koo Chen-fu, Chairman of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation, met with Mr. Wang Daohan, President of mainland China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, in Singapore. They signed four agreements, laying the foundation for institutionalized cross-strait consultations. 12 years ago, in October 2003, I held a dialogue with Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the founding Prime Minister of Singapore, at the East Asian Economic Summit. At that time, we both believed that “the development of cross-strait relations should be based on the interests of the people.”
At this moment, Mr. Xi and I sit opposite each other, gathered together. Behind us is the history of cross-strait separation for over six decades; before us are the achievements of both sides in recent years, striving to “replace confrontation with dialogue and conflict with reconciliation”; in our hands is the goal of lasting peace and prosperity. At this very moment, both sides of the Taiwan Strait are loudly declaring to the world their determination to consolidate peace in the Taiwan Strait and to promote regional peace.
The past 66 years have seen cross-strait relations develop under different systems. The ability to transition from military confrontation to cooperative exchange is by no means an overnight accomplishment. Over the past seven years, both sides have signed 23 agreements, creating an unprecedented prosperity with over 40,000 student exchanges, 8 million annual tourist visits, and over 170 billion U.S. dollars in trade. The foundation for these tremendous changes lies in “peace.”
History has left cross-strait relations with complex generational issues, which is precisely what the Book of Documents calls “not the difficulty of knowing, but the difficulty of acting.” For sensitive issues that each side insists upon, both sides need to face reality and deal with them pragmatically with wisdom, patience, and sincerity. However, we have still been able to achieve cross-strait reconciliation and cooperation under the “institutionalized consultations” built over these years, promoting lasting peace and prosperity, which is also jointly anticipated by both sides and the international community.
💡 Five Proposals to Maintain Cross-Strait Peace and Prosperity
Today, I would like to propose five points to maintain the current state of peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait:
- Consolidate the “1992 Consensus” and maintain the peaceful status quo. The consensus reached by both sides of the Taiwan Strait on the principle of “one China” in November 1992 is referred to as the “1992 Consensus.” The 1992 Consensus is the common political foundation for cross-strait peaceful development. It is precisely because both sides jointly respect the 1992 Consensus that over the past seven and a half years, we have been able to achieve fruitful results and peaceful prosperity, including 23 agreements, placing cross-strait relations in their most peaceful and stable state in 66 years. I will provide further explanation on this during the meeting.
- Reduce hostility and peacefully resolve disputes. Cross-strait relations are no longer in the past state of conflict and confrontation. Both sides should continue to reduce hostility and resolve disputes through peaceful means.
- Expand cross-strait exchanges and enhance mutual benefit and win-win. Unresolved cross-strait issues, such as the trade in goods agreement, the mutual establishment of representative offices by the two institutions, and the transit of mainland Chinese tourists, should be addressed as soon as possible to create a win-win situation for both sides.
- Establish a cross-strait hotline to address urgent issues. Cross-strait communication mechanisms are already in place between the heads of the SEF and ARATS, and between the deputy heads of the Mainland Affairs Council and the Taiwan Affairs Office. A hotline should be established between the heads of the Mainland Affairs Council and the Taiwan Affairs Office to handle urgent and important issues.
- Both sides cooperate to revitalize the Chinese nation. People on both sides of the Strait belong to the Chinese nation and are descendants of Yan and Huang. They should assist each other and work together to revitalize the Chinese nation.
These five proposals are not for selfish reasons or unilateral gain, but for the well-being of future generations. I sincerely hope that both sides will value the values and lifestyles cherished by their people, maintain cross-strait peace, and ensure mutual benefit and win-win situations with the wisdom embedded in Chinese culture.
🤝 Looking Forward: Ushering in an Era of Great Peace for Generations to Come
Mr. Xi, the current cross-strait relationship is the most peaceful and stable period since 1949. In recent years, I have often seen images of cross-strait students discussing, exercising, performing music, and laughing together on university campuses in Taiwan. That natural blending often brings us both comfort and emotion. They have passion and creativity, but they have no hatred or burdens. Their ability to build friendships at an earlier stage in life will surely lay a more solid foundation for lasting cross-strait peace. We must cherish and expand this foundation.
The great Confucian scholar Zhang Hengqu of the Northern Song Dynasty advocated for “establishing a heart for Heaven and Earth, securing a destiny for the common people, continuing the lost teachings of past sages, and ushering in an era of great peace for all generations.” Mr. Xi, for the people on both sides of the Strait, let us work together to “secure a destiny for the common people and usher in an era of great peace for all generations,” creating a more peaceful and brilliant future for the Chinese nation.
Thank you, everyone!