MAC public opinion survey: The majority of the public support
the negotiation issues of the Fourth Chiang-Chen Talks
The Fourth Chiang-Chen Talks will be held in Taichung on December
22. According to the latest public opinion survey announced by the Mainland Affairs
Council (MAC), 60 percent of the public approve of handling cross-strait exchange
issues through institutionalized negotiations. Moreover, over half of the public
hold a positive and affirmative attitude toward the four negotiation issues to be
addressed during the talks.
The MAC conducted a public opinion survey to understand the Taiwan
people's views on this round of talks and on cross-strait relations. Regarding the
individual negotiation issues, the survey results indicate that 65.3 percent of
the public support the signing of a Cross-Strait Agreement on Cooperation in Respect
of Standards, Metrology, Inspection and Accreditation. 61.3 percent think that the
signing of a Cross-Strait Agreement on Cooperation of Agricultural Product Quarantine
and Inspection would be conducive to protecting the people's health. 56 percent
of the people approve of the signing of a Cross-Strait Agreement on the Avoidance
of Double Taxation, while 50 percent support the signing of the Cross-Strait Agreement
on the Cooperation in Respect of Fishing Crew Affairs.
The MAC indicates that the institutionalized negotiations between
the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association for Relations Across the
Taiwan Strait (ARATS) are important indicators of the development of cross-strait
relations. The results of the public opinion survey show that the mainstream public
opinion supports the government's policy direction and approach in resolving the
economic and trade issues to be discussed during the fourth Chiang-Chen Talks in
a gradual and orderly manner.
The public opinion survey also inquired about the public's views
on cross-strait economic and trade relations. The percentage believing such relations
"should be strengthened" (31.7 percent) was slightly higher than the percentages
responding that the relations are "just right" (25.7 percent) or "too close" (27.3
percent), respectively. The MAC indicates that the government is working hard to
normalize cross-strait economic and trade relations. The MAC will pragmatically
improve the environment for cross-strait economic and trade relations, making it
consistent with the demands of public opinion.
The MAC commissioned the Election Study Center of National Chengchi
University to conduct a telephone survey of adults aged 20 and over in the Taiwan
Area from December 11 to 13, 2009. A total of 1,092 effective samples were collected,
with a sampling error of 2.97 percent based on a 95 percent confidence level.
Appendix Ι:
Summarized Results of the Public Opinion Survey on the Upcoming Fourth Chiang-Chen
Talks (December 11-13, 2009)
Appendix ΙI:
Percentage Distribution of the Survey on the "Fourth Chiang-Chen Talks" (December
11-13, 2009)