July 16, 2015
No. 42
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (July 16, 2015) announced the results of its second routine public opinion survey this year. The survey showed that a majority of the public support the government's policy of maintaining the cross-strait status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" under the ROC Constitution framework (72.2%), and identify with the government's position on the "1992 Consensus” of “one China, with respective interpretations" whereby one China means the Republic of China (49.7%). Furthermore, over 70% (72.1%) of the public agree that institutionalized cross-strait negotiations are helpful to pragmatically resolving problems related to exchanges between the two sides.
The MAC stated that results of the latest survey showed majority public support for the signing of both cross-strait tax agreement (54.2%) and flight safety and air worthiness cooperation agreement (79.2%). It also showed the public’s support for the two agreements to undergo congress oversight and national security review as stipulated in the Executive Yuan's draft version of the Cross-Strait Agreement Supervisory Act (75%). The survey also showed that 78% of the public believe the Cross-Strait Collaboration Agreement on Seismological Monitoring and the Cross-Strait Collaboration Agreement on Meteorology signed at the 2014 February SEF-ARATS Tenth Round of High-Level Talks, which have become effective on June 24 this year (2015), help to protect the lives and properties of people on both sides. Furthermore, nearly 60% (59%) of the public support continued follow-up communication and coordination between the two sides on issues determined at the third Meeting between Heads of Cross-Strait Competent Authorities (such as Mainland tourist transits in Taiwan, the trade in goods agreement, reciprocal establishment of SEF-ARATS institutions, repatriation of major economic criminals, and issues of long-term concern in Kinmen, etc.).
Regarding the Mainland's announcement to implement a card-type Taiwan Compatriot Travel Certificate, over 70% (70.3%) of the public support the government's position for the two sides to show each other respect and to take into account the people’s rights, interests and well-being. Regarding other cross-strait issues long observed by the MAC, the survey indicated that the great majority of the public (86.1%) still insist on "maintaining the status quo defined in the broader sense," an opinion that has remained highly stable. As for the current pace of cross-strait exchanges, 44.8% of the public believes it to be "just right", followed by the percentages believing the pace to be "too fast" and "too slow" at 29.1% and 15.4%, respectively.
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 July 1 to 5, 2015. A total of 1,084 valid samples were collected with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.98% at a 95% level of confidence.