TAIPEI (TVBS News) —Singapore's former Foreign Minister, George Yong-boon Yeo, mulls the possibility of a "Chinese commonwealth" to establish future cross-strait relations on Wednesday (Sept. 13).
During his speech at the Asia-Pacific Forward Forum, Yeo shared his perspectives on the strained cross-strait relations, maintaining that the status quo is not feasible in the long term.
The former Singaporean official revealed that soon after President Tsai Ing-wen assumed office in 2016, the two had dialogues regarding such issues.
He recalled suggesting that Chinese leader Xi Jinping had paved a way for Tsai in Singapore, indicating the past meeting between former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou and Xi.
Yet, Yeo acknowledged Tsai's inability to walk down the same path, as it would be seen as accepting a "One China" consensus, thereby contradicting the platform of Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
He clarified that the proposed commonwealth is neither the People's Republic of China (PRC) nor the Republic of China (ROC) but might simply be a new community called "China."
Yeo added that the U.S. views Taiwan as an unsinkable aircraft carrier, a pawn in geopolitical chess.
Other officials previously expressed similar views, and as such, regional leaders are monitoring cross-strait developments closely, apprehending potential conflicts.