Date: January 19, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 004
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced the results of its recent public opinion survey on January 19. The survey results indicated that more than 80% of the public agree that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should put the rights, interests and well-being of the people on both sides first and promote positive interaction, exchanges, and cooperation between them (86.2%); as well as believe that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the common responsibility of both sides and that the two sides should promptly resume official interaction and dialogue (80.6%).
The MAC further pointed out that the survey indicated that more than 80% of the people think that there should be no political considerations in cross-Strait exchanges and that mainland China should engage with Taiwan in comprehensive, diverse, normal, and healthy exchanges (83.1%). Moreover, nearly 80% of the public believe that strengthening safety management for contact between the people of the two sides would be conducive to maintaining the order of cross-Strait exchanges (79.8%), while over 80% of the public support the government's position that its commitment and goodwill in promoting cross-Strait peace and stability are unchanged and that the two sides should jointly seek a new model for cross-Strait interaction (84.6%).
Regarding views on Taiwan's international participation, security in the Taiwan Strait, and other related issues, the survey found that over 70% of the public believe that any attempts by mainland China to create pressure or tension on Taiwan's international space and security in the Taiwan Strait would be unhelpful to cross-Strait relations, interaction, and long-term development (73.6%). More than 80% of the people agree that Taiwan's participation in international organizations and activities should not be subject to interference from mainland China based on political factors (83.4%); and 72.7% of the public support the government's position that the promotion of cross-Strait ties and foreign relations are equally important and are not contradictory.
Regarding other cross-Strait issues observed over the long term by the MAC, the survey indicated that people in favor of "maintaining the status quo defined in a broad sense" still account for the great majority of the public (83.8%), maintaining a long-term stable trend. As for views on the current pace of cross-Strait exchanges, 37.6% of the public believe it to be "just right," followed by the percentages believing the pace to be "too fast" and "too slow" at 12.8% and 34.7%, respectively.
The MAC stressed that, since May 20 last year, Taiwan has shown the utmost goodwill and flexibility in related policy discourse and actions and is committed to narrowing the cognitive distance between the two sides. In the future, the government will not change its commitment and dedication to maintaining cross-Strait peace and stability. It will continue to pragmatically promote benign cross-Strait exchanges, cooperation, communication, and exchange. Taiwan calls on the mainland China to face up to new developments in cross-Strait relations, seek to resolve differences through communication and dialogue, and avoid negative and antagonistic actions so as to maintain peaceful and stable cross-Strait and regional development and respond to the collective hope of the people on both sides and regional parties.
The MAC commissioned the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University to conduct a telephone survey of adults aged 20 and over in Taiwan from January 12 to 16, 2017. A total of 1,073 valid samples were collected, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.99% at a 95% level of confidence.