Taiwan’s Ma expects cross-strait benefits from HK ‘democracy’

TAIPEI – In an interview with the New York Times, Taiwan’s President, Ma Ying-jeou, has said cross-strait relations stand to gain handsomely if the people of Hong Kong can achieve universal suffrage and move toward greater democracy. “We believe that if mainland China can practice democracy in Hong Kong or become more democratic itself, we can shorten the psychological distance between people from both sides of the strait,” Ma said.

“This would be a great step toward creating closer cross-strait ties over the long term.”

Ma said cross-strait relations would not be adversely affected by the call for free elections in Hong Kong, as Taipei and Beijing have built solid trust and understanding based on the 1992 consensus.

“When I took office in May 2008, I clearly stated support for the 1992 consensus and it remains the cornerstone of cross-strait relations,” he said, adding that under the ROC Constitution, the country will maintain the status quo of no unification, no independence and no use of force in cross-strait relations.

The one country, two systems model proposed by mainland China in the early 1980s is not acceptable to the people of Taiwan, Ma said. “What we can accept is the 1992 formulation of one China, respective interpretations, with recent polls showing over half of the people support the principle if one China refers to the ROC.” www.taiwantoday.tw (ATI).