Fengxiang Qiao, chairman of U.S.-China Friendship Association, said that what has happened over the past several decades shows that the cross-Strait relations have a bright future only when both sides stick to the one-China policy. So does the well-being of the people on both sides, especially that of the people on the island, he said.

All pro-Taiwan independence ideas, claims and activities are devastating for the hard-earned relations of peaceful development across the Strait and bring Taiwan to a dangerous cliff, Qiao said.

Ma Yue, president of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification (New York), said the 1992 Consensus is the basis of the peaceful development, communication and cooperation across the Strait, and that the many livelihood issues Tsai talked about in her speech depend on the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Chen Weidong, president of Australian Association for Friends of the the Huangpu Military Academy said, the essence of the 1992 Consensus is both sides across the Strait adhere to one-China policy and strive for the reunification of the motherland. Without such a political basis and political mutual trust, the peaceful development across the Strait will inevitably be affected. So will be the interests of the Taiwan people.

"It will not work for the new Taiwan leader to skirt the core commitment that both sides belong to one China and instead attempt to fool the people on both sides of the Strait using the equivocal talk of 'maintaining the current status," Chen said.