Hou unveils his ‘consensus’ viewStaff writer, with CNANew Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), who is the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, on Monday said he would support a version of the so-called “1992 consensus” that conforms with the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi speaks at a news conference in New Taipei City yesterday. Photo: CNAHe said he is against interpreting the “1992 consensus” as referring to “one country, two systems,” as done by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and strongly opposes President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) “stigmatization” of it. Hou did not comment on criticism that he merely echoed the KMT’s long-held position of “one China, different interpretations” — which gives tacit freedom to Taipei and Beijing to come to separate conclusions as to what “China” means. The speech referred to the “1992 consensus” as a political “foundation” to enable negotiations and exchanges, while “one country, two systems” was characterized as a “policy” and “plan” for achieving “peaceful reunification.”The DPP has refused to accept the “1992 consensus” on the grounds that Beijing has never acknowledged the ROC’s existence and that agreeing to the “1992 consensus” would imply accepting China’s claim over Taiwan.
