Seminars in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region this week revisited the landmark 2015 meeting between General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and then-Kuomintang leader Ma Ying-jeou, emphasizing its role in stabilizing cross-strait ties. The event, held in Singapore eight years ago, marked the first face-to-face dialogue between leaders across the Taiwan Strait since 1949.
Why This Meeting Still Matters 🕊️
At a Xiong’an seminar co-hosted by mainland scholars, experts praised the Xi-Ma talks for reaffirming the 1992 Consensus—a shared commitment to the one-China principle. 'This consensus is the golden key to peace,' said Zhu Weidong of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, warning that abandoning it risks 'turbulence and setbacks.'
Taiwan Voices Echo Call for Unity 📜
In Taipei, Kuomintang Chairperson Cheng Li-wun stressed the Consensus’s practical impact: 'From 2008 to 2016, it enabled over 20 cross-strait agreements on trade and tourism.' She urged current Taiwan authorities to avoid 'erroneous policies' that jeopardize regional stability, adding, 'Only through dialogue can Taiwan thrive.'
A Blueprint for Peace? 🌐
Researchers like Chi Chia-lin called the 2015 meeting a 'model for positive interaction,' proving that political trust can overcome decades of division. With tensions rising recently, both seminars underscored a shared hope: that the spirit of the Xi-Ma handshake might yet guide future relations.
