MAC: The majority of the public approve of the current
warming in cross-strait relations and support maintaining the status quo in the
Taiwan Strait
The Mainland Affairs Council announced the results of its latest
public opinion survey today (September 21, 2010). The survey results indicated that
over half of the public (51.9 percent) believe that overall cross-strait relations
have become "more relaxed" since President Ma Ying-jeou came into office, a percentage
higher than those believing the relations are "more tense" (10.2 percent) or "unchanged"
(30.5 percent). A plurality of the public (40.3 percent) continue to believe that
the current pace of cross-strait exchanges is "just right," higher than the percentages
believing it is "too fast" (37.5 percent) or "too slow" (13.2 percent). The above
results illustrate that the government's Mainland policy of promoting cross-strait
reconciliation as well as promoting cross-strait exchanges on the principle of "putting
Taiwan first for the benefit of its people" has won the approval of the majority
of the public.
Regarding the public's views on other cross-strait topics long
observed by the MAC, the overwhelming majority of the public (86.2 percent) still
advocate "maintaining the status quo defined in a broader sense," a level that has
remained highly stable. Among the six possible positions on this issue, "maintaining
the status quo and deciding on independence or unification later" enjoys the highest
level of support (34.6 percent).
On whether or not to allow Mainland tourists to travel to Taiwan
independently, nearly 60 percent (59.7 percent) of the public approve this move
if the government takes the method of gradual opening and initially restricts such
travel to certain Mainland provinces and cities with residents of higher wealth,
while about 30 percent (31.5 percent) of the public disapprove.
The MAC commissioned the Election Study Center of National Chengchi
University to conduct a telephone survey of adults aged 20 or older in the Taiwan
Area from September 1 to 5, 2010. A total of 1,072 effective samples were collected,
with a sampling error of about 3.1 percent based on a 95 percent confidence level.
Appendix Ι:
Summarized Results of the Public Opinion Survey on the "Public's View on Current
Cross-Strait Relations" (September 01 ~ September 05, 2010)
Appendix II:
Percentage Distribution of the Public Opinion Survey on the "Public's View on Current
Cross-Strait Relations" (September 01 ~ September 05, 2010)