Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Doubts grow over ‘1992 consensus’

Fan Shih-ping 范世平

Beijing used to think that after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office in 2008, the so-called “1992 consensus” — which refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means — had become a sure thing.

However, Beijing may not be so sure any more. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that the “1992 consensus” is outdated and instead proposed the idea of “two countries, one system,” supporting the idea that Taiwan and China are two separate countries.

The US has unfinished business

Kengchi Goah 吳耿志

It was that time of year again, a time of wounds unhealed, a time of unhealed wounds reopening.

It was the 68th anniversary of the 228 Incident. It will then be the 69th, the 70th, etc. The count will just keep piling up if the truth stays hidden and no closure is brought about.

No single phrase does more to describe the suffering Taiwanese have endured than the following epigram widely circulated among Taiwanese communities:

New parties face rare opportunity

Liu Ching-yi 劉靜怡

Over the past year, there have been constant controversies concerning the public’s fundamental rights, such as subsistence and property rights.

Apart from these, problems of unequal social distribution and a lack of justice have long defined Taiwanese society — and have time and again spawned public dissatisfaction with the ruling and opposition parties.

This state of dissatisfaction is becoming irrepressible and has reached a critical juncture.

Diversity of statues is needed to honor icons

James Wang 王景弘

In his will, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) expressed the hope that his spirit would always be with his “comrades and compatriots” — these last words sound creepy to a lot of people.

Chiang’s followers and their own followers in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have not followed his words and they have abandoned his anti-communist spirit — all they do is insist that Taiwanese students and the Taiwanese public always be surrounded by his cold bronze statues.

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