Taipei, Nov. 30 (CNA) Taiwan’s Presidential Office Spokesman Xavier Chang (張淳涵) on Wednesday expressed condolences to the family of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin (江澤民) who died in his home city of Shanghai earlier that day.
Chang said the Presidential Office has noted the news of Jiang’s passing and expressed condolence to his family.
Jiang passed away due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at 12:13 p.m. Wednesday, at the age of 96, China’s state media Xinhua News Agency reported.
Jiang came to power after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, at a time when many countries adopted a policy of containment against China, under which circumstances his policy toward Taiwan was relatively conservative.
In 1993, Jiang presented his first position paper on Taiwan dubbed The Taiwan Question and Reunification of China, which outlined China’s position that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
In terms of resolving the Taiwan issue, the document called for “peaceful unification and one country, two systems” which remains the centerpiece of Chinese policy today, while focusing on the two sides negotiating an end to military confrontation.
It also expressed Beijing’s willingness to hold talks with the Kuomintang to formally end the state of hostility between the two sides of the strait and gradually realize peaceful reunification.
It also proposed that other political parties, organizations and representatives from all sectors on both sides of the Taiwan Strait be recruited to participate in the talks.
The white paper also stated resolute opposition to any words and deeds aimed at splitting China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposition to “two Chinas”, “one China, one Taiwan” or “one country, two governments,” and opposed all attempts and actions that could lead to “Taiwan independence.”
Regarding Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and activities, the white paper said that when China reaches an agreement or understanding with relevant parties, it could participate in non-governmental international organizations under the name “Taipei, China” or “Taiwan, China.”
In 1995, Jiang put forward an eight-point proposal for developing cross-strait relations which highlighted the goal of peaceful reunification as “Chinese should not fight Chinese.”
Source : Focus Taiwan
