TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑), director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation (馬英九基金會), on Thursday (June 13) criticized President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) recent remarks on Taipei and Beijing's governmental relations as mere "semantics."
In an interview with Time Magazine, President Lai stated that the governments of Beijing and Taipei "are not subordinate to each other," echoing former Presidents Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). Hsiao argued that Lai's approach misleads foreigners unfamiliar with Chinese politics through clever wordplay while ostensibly advocating for peace.
Hsiao contends that Lai's notion of "non-subordination" deviates sharply from the "1992 Consensus," which acknowledges one China with differing interpretations. He accused the Presidential Office of skewing translations to imply a shift from the "new two-state theory" under U.S. pressure.
Further, Hsiao criticized Lai's inaugural speech and interview responses, maintaining they perpetuate a narrative of distinct nations by referring to the mainland as "China" without referencing the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.
The foundation director called on President Lai to uphold the Act and declare, per the Constitution of the Republic of China, that the two entities are not separate nations to truly foster peace and dignity across the strait.