Promote the cross-strait peace initiative! Ding Shouzhong hopes to move towards political consultation. Guanzhong says Taiwan is becoming increasingly insignificant.

Former Kuomintang legislator Ding Shouzhong (third from right) and former examination dean Guan Zhong (center) hosted the "Commemorating the Birthday of the Founding Father and Cross-Strait Peace Initiative Conference" today. Former Legislative Yuan Wang Jinping (third from left) was invited to attend and support. (Photo by reporter Tian Yuhua)

Ding Shouzhong, former KMT legislator and chairman of the Cross-Strait Development Research Foundation, and Guan Zhong, former dean of the examination, hosted the "Cross-Strait Peace Initiative Conference to Commemorate the Birthday of the Founding Fathers and Cross-Strait Peace Initiative" today (12th). At the conference, the "Cross-Strait Peace Initiative" co-signed by more than 200 experts and scholars from the blue camp was proposed. Guan Zhong criticized that Taiwan has become increasingly insignificant in U.S.-China relations, but the government has never let the people know the harm of the war. Ding Shouzhong advocated giving priority to cross-strait peace, resuming dialogue, deepening cooperation, and moving towards political consultation.

In his speech, Guanzhong said that the world situation has changed too much. Europe and the United States are dividing and declining. At the same time, "the East is rising." The United States' greatest national interest is "not to have a war with China." However, under this premise, Taiwan's influence is declining and its role is becoming increasingly insignificant. "The biggest sin of a government is not to let the people of Taiwan know the harm of war." Therefore, he advocated that "only peace can protect Taiwan." Supporting peace and opposing war is their goal.

Ding Shouzhong, speaking on behalf of the group, said that the "Cross-Strait Peace Initiative" takes cross-Strait peace as the highest priority and opposes war and confrontation; while respecting the historical context of the Chinese nation and the reality of cross-Strait division, it strives to promote cross-Strait dialogue, exchanges and mutual trust, replace confrontation with negotiation, enhance common interests, gradually reduce cross-Strait hostility and conflict risks, and promote cross-Strait joint negotiation of the final political arrangement on the basis of peace, equality and mutual respect, moving towards long-term peace, shared prosperity and development.

Ding Shouzhong also read out the four major propositions of the initiative, including "prioritizing peace, putting the well-being of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait first, opposing war, and avoiding any form of armed conflict. We should first start by reducing hostility and stop criticizing and stigmatizing each other." Secondly, "both sides of the Taiwan Strait should resume dialogue, establish sustained peaceful communication channels, strengthen non-governmental exchanges, and rebuild friendship and mutual trust between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."

Third, "Deepen cooperation on functional affairs, create common interests across the Taiwan Strait, face the reorganization of the global industrial chain, and explore new opportunities for cross-Strait industrial cooperation." Finally, "Facing history and reality, respecting each other's differences, adhering to equality and respecting mutual benefit, building up a sense of community across the Taiwan Strait, creating conditions for final political consultation and political institutional arrangements, and sharing sustainable peace and prosperity."