SHANGHAI (TVBS News) — Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, met with Song Tao, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), on Thursday (Feb. 29) night and reiterated the KMT's stance on promoting cross-strait exchanges and dialogue to avoid misunderstandings.
At the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, Hsia referenced a recent ship collision in the Kinmen-Xiamen area, which resulted in the death of two Chinese fishermen.
He remarked that both governing administrations across the Strait should exercise restraint in their words and actions to avoid raising cross-strait tensions, and emphasized the KMT's firm insistence on the "1992 Consensus" and its opposition to "Taiwan Independence," pledging to put in more efforts to build mutual trust and ensure the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.
Referring to the unfortunate incident caused by Taiwan's Coast Guard's inspection of the Chinese speedboat which crossed the border, leading to the drowning of two fishermen, Hsia highlighted the risks associated with the lack of communication channels across the Strait.
The KMT vice chairman expressed his belief that the majority of Taiwan's peace-loving citizens whose voices are more subdued empathize deeply with this unfortunate event, asking Song to convey the KMT's condolences to the victims' families.
Hsia called for a swift investigation into the incident, to ensure justice for all involved parties and to provide appropriate solace to the families of the deceased. Hsia maintained that with him "being in line with the majority of public opinion in Taiwan," dialogue and exchange are the best ways to prevent conflict and maintain peace across the Strait.
In response, Song stated that the situation across the Taiwan Strait remained complex and severe; both parties should promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation while adhering to the "1992 Consensus" and opposing "Taiwan Independence."
