March 29, 2016
No. 26
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced the results of its latest routine public opinion survey today (March 29, 2016). The survey results indicated that more than 80% (81.9%) of the public support the government's continued promotion of normalized official interactions across the Strait (85.3%) and also support the promotion of institutionalized cross-strait negotiations (87%) to pragmatically resolve exchange-related problems and promote peaceful and stable cross-strait relations.
The MAC indicated that, regarding the Mainland's Taiwan policy and actions, the survey found that over 70% of the public do not identify with the Mainland's statement that "both sides are part of one China" (72.7%) and instead support the government's actions of expressing strong dissatisfaction over the Mainland's announcement of resumed diplomatic relations with former ROC ally Gambia, and also support the statement that the Mainland’s actions undermine the mutual trust painstakingly built between the two sides over the past eight years (70.8%). Moreover, nearly 80% of the public believe that if the Mainland were to face the reality of separate governance across the Taiwan Strait and respect public opinion in Taiwan, it would be conducive to benign development in cross-strait relations (78.6%).
The MAC stated that, regarding cross-strait exchanges, the survey also polled views on cross-strait interactions and on important bills. The survey showed that 60% (60.3%) of the public approve the statement that, "the current cross-strait exchange activities in the economic, trade, culture, education, and other fields should not be affected by changes in the cross-strait situation." Furthermore, over 70% (75.3%) of the public agree that the Cross-Strait Agreement Supervisory Act should comply with provisions of the ROC Constitution and must be pragmatic and feasible.
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 (86.7%), maintaining a long-term stable trend. As for views on the current pace of cross-strait exchanges, 45.1% of the public believe it to be "just right," followed by the percentages believing the pace to be "too fast" and "too slow" at 21.5% and 21.0%, respectively. In addition, concerning future cross-strait relations, compared to the current situation, 37.5% of the public feel that ties will "not be influenced," while 15.9% and 25.7% of the public feel that ties will "improve" and "worsen," respectively.
The MAC stated that maintaining peaceful and stable cross-strait relations is the fervent hope of the Taiwanese people, as well as the shared responsibility of the two sides. For the past eight years, the government has promoted institutionalized cross-strait negotiations, official interaction and exchanges and cooperation in various fields in accordance with the ROC Constitution and on the "1992 Consensus" basis of "one China, with respective interpretations," and has thus created the current situation of cross-strait peace and prosperity. The two sides should further cherish the abundant and hard-earned results of peace accumulated through their joint efforts. The Mainland should face up to the reality that the two sides are divided by the Strait and separately governed, understand the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan, show mutual respect, and cooperate in a pragmatic manner; only through such actions would long-term cross-strait development be benefited.
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 March 18 to 22, 2016. A total of 1,108 valid samples were collected, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.94% at a 95% level of confidence.