TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's former Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) met with China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國台辦) Director Song Tao (宋濤) on Monday (Nov. 18) stressing the importance of Chinese culture and national identity, and encouraging cross-strait exchanges.
The two officials met at the Xiamen Seaview Resort (廈門海悅山莊) where Wang emphasized consensus-building between the two sides, hoping for a brighter future through wise governance. Song reiterated the commitment to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to Taiwan's independence, stressing that people on both sides are Chinese and part of one family.
Reflecting on military conflicts over 70 years ago between Kinmen and Xiamen, Wang noted the close interactions between the two regions, marking the start of positive cross-strait relations. He cited British historian Arnold Toynbee, highlighting the significance of Confucianism and Mahayana Buddhist teachings in solving social issues, and urged both sides to value their shared cultural roots.
Wang pointed out that cross-strait interactions have remained unaffected by political ideologies over the past decades, evolving into an inseparable partnership. He emphasized the shared goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, expressing confidence that both societies can prioritize the people's interests to create a new era of peace.
Asserting that a focus on people leads to universal prosperity, Wang believes that a positive mindset will advance cross-strait affairs.