TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 16th Straits Forum, organized by the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), took place in Xiamen on Saturday (June 15). 

At the start of the forum, KMT Deputy Chair Lien Sheng-wen (連勝文) met with the chair of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning (王滬寧). During their meeting, Lian affirmed the KMT’s acceptance of the “1992 consensus” and that the KMT remains opposed to Taiwan independence, reported UDN. 

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has never accepted the “1992 consensus” that Beijing asserts is a prerequisite to official talks between the governments of Taipei and Beijing. The position of both the Lai administration and the preceding Tsai administration is that accepting the “1992 consensus” would amount to a rejection of Taiwan’s sovereignty.  

On Saturday, Wang greeted the Taiwanese contingent and extended a welcome on behalf of Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平). He said the Straits Forum demonstrates the desire of both sides of the strait to improve cross-strait relations, and also called on Taiwanese and Chinese to work together toward the “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Motherland.”

Lien, who is leading the KMT contingent for the first time at the Straits Forum, lauded the CCP’s efforts to create a Fujian Cross-Strait Integration and Development Demonstration Zone. He added the KMT would continue to develop good relations between Taiwan and China, per UDN. 

The KMT contingent includes the magistrate of Yunlin Chang Li-shan (張麗善), deputy magistrate of Kinmen Li Wen-liang (李文良), as well as KMT legislators Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍), Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生), and Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉).