Date: August 24, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 60
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced the results of its latest public opinion survey today (August 24, 2017). Over 80% of the public support the government's position that maintaining cross-Strait peace and stability is the joint responsibility of both sides and that the two sides should engage in healthy and normal contact and exchanges (87.8%). A similar majority think that ongoing contact and exchanges between the people on both sides is conducive to promoting positive cross-Strait interaction (84.8%). Additionally, more than 60% of the public support the government's improvements to laws, regulations, and management measures related to cross-Strait exchanges and interaction (64.1%).
The MAC stated that developing sound and orderly cross-Strait exchanges is an important part of maintaining peaceful and stable development across the Taiwan Strait. The survey found that over 70% of the public disagree with mainland China's approach of suppressing Taiwan and unilaterally setting political preconditions to cross-Strait exchanges (75.2%); and think that the political united front tactics used by the Mainland authorities against the people of Taiwan in the name of exchanges is not conducive to the development of cross-Strait relations (70.1%). The MAC calls on the other side to face up to public opinion in Taiwan and jointly promote diverse and benign exchanges and interaction. This would contribute to the development of cross-Strait ties going forward.
The MAC stressed that, facing mainland China's continuous negative actions aimed at Taiwan and actions that deliberately affect cross-Strait exchanges, the government of the Republic of China has consistently sought to create a healthy environment and establish sound management regulations for equal, dignified, healthy, and orderly cross-Strait exchanges.
The survey also showed that more than 60% of the public consider it appropriate for the government to amend the period of restriction on travel to mainland China by retired or discharged high-level officials and military officers to "a minimum of three years, allowing increases but not reductions" (66%), and agree with the government's approach of penalizing violators of the regulations on travel to the Mainland with fines or a reduction or termination of monthly pension payments, depending on the severity of the offense (65.8%). The MAC indicated that the government has strengthened management of travel to mainland China by retired or discharged civil servants and military personnel to safeguard national security interests and dignity, limiting the restrictions to the minimum and necessary scope based on the particularities of cross-Strait relations, according to the law.
The MAC commissioned Taiwan Real Survey Co. Ltd. to conduct a telephone survey of adults aged 20 and over in Taiwan from July 31 to August 2. A total of 1,079 valid samples were collected, with a sampling error of 2.98% based on a 95% confidence level. The survey results were weighted by the respondents' gender, age, education level, and region after testing sample representativeness.