The China Post
DateL September 1, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Former Foreign Minister Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) will head the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), a presidential spokesman said Wednesday, ending months of speculation over the leadership of the semi-official body in charge of handling ties with Beijing.

Tien’s leadership at the SEF is expected to help Taiwanese businesses expand and solve problems in China and to maintain interactions and exchanges across the strait, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang said.

The top SEF post has been left vacant since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May. Tien faces a tough task amid worsening ties across the strait and Beijing pressure for Tsai to openly embrace the so-called “1992 Consensus.”

Tien last year predicted at a forum in London that Tsai would not accept the “1992 Consensus,” which he said would remain key to cross-strait development, according to the China Times newspaper.

He said at the time that Taipei-Beijing dialogue could be terminated if Tsai continued to reject the “1992 Consensus,” the newspaper said.     [FULL  STORY]