MAC Press Release No. 009
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (July 16, 2021) announced the results of a public opinion survey. The survey shows that the majority of the Taiwan public oppose the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) positions on imposing the "one China” principle and "1992 Consensus," promoting unification, and crushing “Taiwan independence” (76.1%). Nearly 90% of respondents oppose the CCP's "one country, two systems" formula for Taiwan (89.2%) and its constant threats to use force on Taiwan (88.7%). More than 80% of the public oppose the CCP and Hong Kong government’s demand that Taiwanese personnel posted in Hong Kong sign a "Letter of Commitment to One China" as a precondition to obtain work visas (81.7%). Results above show that public opinion in Taiwan rejects the CCP’s compulsory political framework, military intimidation, and specific political obstacles aimed at obstructing interaction.
The MAC emphasized that public opinion in Taiwan disapproves the CCP and Hong Kong government’s hostile actions against Taiwanese personnel posted in Hong Kong and democracy and freedom in Hong Kong; the public also support the government's response measures. More than 80% of the respondents disapprove of the CCP’s claim that it is fully implementing "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong governed by the Hong Kong people," and a high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong while continuing to arrest and detain media personnel and pan-democrats in Hong Kong (82.2%). About 70% of the public approve of the government’s operational adjustments to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong made for maintaining essential operations in response to Taiwanese staff members’ untenability to remain in or assume their posts (68.1%). A similar percentage support the government to make amendment to the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau given the current situation in Hong Kong (72.7%). The Taiwan public also approve of the government for providing convenient services for Hong Kong people through the Taiwan-Hong Kong Office for Exchanges and Services (73.3%), continuing to support the people of Hong Kong in their fight for democracy and freedom, and supplying humanitarian care and essential services to Hong Kong people entering Taiwan through legal channels (77.7%).
The MAC stated that the survey further shows that 80% of the public believe that the CCP should face up to Taiwan's proposition that the two sides across the Taiwan Strait should base their interactions on "peace, parity, democracy, and dialogue" (80.0%). Nearly 90% of respondents agree that Taiwan's future and the development of cross-Strait relations must be decided by the 23 million people of Taiwan (89.4%). In addition, more than 80% of the public oppose the CCP's persistent and meaningless criticism of Taiwan as "using the pandemic to seek independence" during the COVID-19 pandemic (87.5%). Over 70% of the public support the government to strictly review entry permit applications from mainland China to maintain national security once the pandemic abates and borders reopen (71.7%).
The MAC stressed that Taiwan and Hong Kong mutually set up representative offices based on the principle of reciprocity and for the purpose of serving the public and handling general administrative affairs. The government refuses to accept unilaterally imposed political conditions denigrating Taiwan's sovereignty. The CCP and the Hong Kong government’s unreasonable suppression has fundamentally undermined Taiwan-Hong Kong relations and the rights and interests of Taiwanese people. Furthermore, the CCP’s continuous tightening of Hong Kong policies in the recent days reflects that Hong Kong has plunged into the “overall governance” of the CCP. The ROC government will firmly defend its national sovereignty and join the international community in supporting Hong Kong people's fight for democracy and freedom. The MAC also called on the Beijing authorities once again to face up to the cross-Strait reality, respect the steadfast stance of Taiwan’s public opinion on the development of cross-Strait relations, and relinquish its compulsory political frameworks and military threats targeting Taiwan. Only this will be helpful for unfolding positive interaction and development between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
The MAC commissioned the Taiwan Real Survey Co., Ltd. to conduct a telephone survey of adults aged 20 and over in Taiwan from July 9 to 12, 2021. A total of 1,071 valid samples were obtained, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.99% at a 95% level of confidence.