Taiwan parties, groups rally to urge adherence to 1992 Consensus

Hundreds of people from different parties and groups in Taiwan rallied on Wednesday in front of the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), calling for adherence to the 1992 Consensus and maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait.

The people held banners reading: "The two sides of the strait belong to one China."

"Adherence to the 1992 Consensus brings happiness to Taiwan," they shouted.

The gathering came as Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who is scheduled to take office as Taiwan's new leader on Friday, has not recognized the 1992 Consensus.

"Today, we are here to make our voice heard by Tsai and the DPP," said Zhang Anle, president of the China Unionist Party.

"The good interactions across the strait over the past eight years are because of the consensus. If Tsai goes against it, the basis of peaceful cross-strait development will be destroyed and Taiwan will face an unknowable future," said Zhang, organizer of the event.

Taiwan's development needs the mainland's big market and the 1992 Consensus is the guarantee for Taiwan's happiness, he said.

Wang Bingzhong, of the New Party, said the new leader's refusal to recognize the 1992 Consensus will seriously damage the mutual trust built over the past eight years and the hard-won achievements of peaceful development.

"We young people do not want to be 'hijacked.' We should create the future of the Chinese nation together with our peers on the mainland," he said.

"There are about 380,000 'mainland wives' in Taiwan. We must stand up to express our opinion, for ourselves, our husbands and children," said Lu Yuexiang, who has been in Taiwan for 25 years since marrying a Taiwan man.

"We shall not allow anyone to damage peace across the strait," she said.

Taiwan students hope the peaceful development across the strait will continue, said Qiu Rongli, head of a student association in the island.

(APD)