MAC Press Release No. 002
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today (March 25, 2022) announced the results of a routine public opinion survey. The survey showed that about 90% of the public support the president's emphasis that in response to changes and challenges, democracy and unity are Taiwan’s only options and choices (83.3%). A similar percentage of the public oppose that the CCP took advantage of the situation of Ukraine to declare that Taiwan is part of China; the public also oppose the CCP's use of malicious political manipulation to spread disinformation and affect Taiwan’s public morale (90.9%). The MAC emphasized that the survey found that the CCP's use of regional situation to expand its cognitive warfare against Taiwan has incurred antipathy from Taiwanese people, and the public support the government's response to safeguard the security of sovereignty of the Republic of China (ROC).
The MAC indicated that the survey found that more than 80% of the public disapprove of the CCP's recent proposal of the so-called "overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue" and its promotion of unification between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait (84.8%). About 90% oppose the CCP's "one country, two systems" (87.4%), its military intimidation of Taiwan (92.9%), its suppression of Taiwan's international participation (89.4%), and other actions. A similar percentage of the public support the government's continuous efforts to bolster Taiwan's self-defense capabilities in order to safeguard national sovereignty and Taiwan's democracy (92.0%); the public also approve cooperation with like-minded countries to maintain the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait (88.6%). The survey results showed that public opinion in Taiwan fully disapproves of the CCP's discourse and proposition about Taiwan and its coercive intimidation and suppression.
The MAC emphasized that over 70% of the public support the government's proposal of the Draft Amendments to Part of the Provisions of the National Security Act and the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation in order to curb the outflow of Taiwan's national core technologies and prevent the Chinese authorities from poaching Taiwan’s high-tech talent (75.0%). A similar percentage of the public are in favor of the gradual resumptions of cross-Strait exchanges and personnel movement in consideration of developments of cross-Strait situation and boosting economic growth while ensuring disease prevention (75.1%); and the public also approves strengthening security management for mainland Chinese personnel entering Taiwan (75.7%). Regarding other issues long observed by the MAC, the great majority of the public continue to advocate "maintaining the status quo defined in a broader sense" (87.4%), believe the CCP authorities' attitude towards the ROC government (74.6%) and people (59.3%) is unfriendly, and agree that Taiwan's future and the development of cross-Strait relations must be decided by the 23 million people of Taiwan (84.2%), maintaining a long-term stable trend.
The MAC stressed that the ROC is a sovereign state. This is an absolute consensus among the 23 million people of Taiwan. The government calls on the Beijing authorities to stop imposing their political framework on Taiwan and renounce the use of military intimidation, face up to fact that the Republic of China (Taiwan) exists, and improve cross-Strait relations pragmatically and rationally. Facing the changes of regional situation and the CCP’s hybrid threats against Taiwan, the government is closely watching the internal and external developments of mainland China and its Taiwan-related movements; it has also been assessing the situation prudently and cautiously. Meanwhile, the government has been enhancing Taiwan's response to the CCP's cognitive warfare to ensure the overall interests of Taiwan.
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 17 to 21, 2022. A total of 1,086 valid samples were obtained, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.97% at a 95% level of confidence.