The seventh meeting of the panel reached a consensus, including "three understandings and four proposals," with an evasive, vague and even negative attitude toward the one-China principle, which will not help improve cross-Straits ties.

The "cross-party panel consensus" refused to recognize the consensus reached by the two sides in 1992 to accept the unwritten statement that "the two sides of the Straits both adhere to the one-China principle."

The group is not a real "cross-party" since it has been strongly opposed by other parties in Taiwan, and the so-called "consensus" has been forged mainly by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The "consensus" is a cudgel being used by the DPP to try to break the current deadlock in cross-Straits ties and to deal with the difficulties the Taiwan leaders are currently facing with their mainland policy.

The "consensus" has been called "a big hotchpotch" by the Taiwan public and "a word puzzle" by other parties on the island.

The one-China principle is the basis for peaceful reunification and the premise for the stable development of cross-Straits relations.

To evade, challenge or deny the one-China principle will bring no good to cross-straits relations and make it impossible to achieve peaceful reunification.

(China Daily 12/04/2000)