Date: February 8, 2019
MAC Press Release No. 21
In response to public opinion polls on cross-Strait issues conducted by domestic polling agencies in 2018, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that changes to the overall cross-Strait dynamic have intensified over the past year. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has expanded its united front work through carrot and stick strategy to increase pressure on Taiwan. Results of public opinion polls regarding governmental cross-Strait policies, cross-Strait interactions, the CCP’s actions towards Taiwan, and other relevant issues have all shown public support for Taiwan’s governmental policies to maintain peaceful and stable cross-Strait relations, to defend national sovereignty, and to resolve cross-Strait differences through dialogue and interaction without preconditions. The results also showed that the public disapproves mainland China’s use of political and military tactics to suppress and intimidate Taiwan and supports the government’s countermeasures towards mainland China.
According to the MAC’s public opinion polls (conducted in August and November of 2018), 79% of the people supported the government's adherence to the values of freedom and democracy and its cooperation with other like-minded countries to promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region. Moreover, 82.9% of the public supported the government's commitment to mutual respect on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and to resolving cross-Strait differences through dialogue without preconditions, while 85.9% believed that Taiwan's future and the development of cross-Strait relations should be determined by Taiwan's 23 million people.
The MAC's polls also indicated that 78.3% of the public disapproved of mainland China's use of political, diplomatic, and military coercion and suppression of Taiwan, which undermines cross-Strait status quo and regional peace. Nor did 77.7% of the public approved mainland China’s actions of poaching Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and threatening Taiwan’s international space, as these impact cross-Strait relations negatively. Moreover, 75.4% of respondents disagreed with mainland China’s “one country, two systems” claim.
The MAC stated that mainland China continues to manipulate its unilaterally-defined “one-China principle” and “one country, two systems” framework in the international community and across the Taiwan Strait, in which the space available for Taiwan’s survival is minimized. Despite such, the government will continue to steadfastly defend national sovereignty and to promote positive cross-Strait interactions in order to protect the well-being of its people.
In the coming new year, the MAC stressed that it is committed to implementing President Tsai's “four musts” and “three-part security network.” In accordance with democratic principles and domestic public opinion, the MAC will pragmatically promote peaceful cross-Strait policy, staunchly defend the sovereignty and dignity of the Republic of China, and protect national security interests and the rights and well-being of the people, thereby safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and promoting regional security.