DEVIOUS DIALOGUE: Xi is exploiting a legal loophole by presenting the possibility of dialogues before engaging in talks, a Taiwan Society of International Law member said

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 13, 2019
By: Chung Li-hua  /  Staff reporter

Academics are calling on the government to pass amendments that would restrict an anticipated increase in the number of parties interested in seeking political dialogues with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), which are currently permitted under legislation on cross-strait relations.

Article 5-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) bars unauthorized institutions from negotiating or signing an agreement with Beijing, but not from engaging in “political dialogues,” Taiwan Society of International Law deputy secretary-general Lin Ting-hui (林廷輝) said yesterday.

Xi is trying to exploit a legal loophole in the act by presenting the possibility of cross-strait dialogues before engaging in talks with parties, organizations and individuals from Taiwan that are willing to accept his version of the so-called “1992 consensus,” he said.

In a speech delivered in Beijing on Wednesday last week, Xi defined the “1992 consensus” as “both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait belonging to one China and being willing to work together to seek national unification” and announced his plan to explore a Taiwanese version of the “one country, two systems” model.    [FULL  STORY]