May 4, 2007, No. 46
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently rejected Taiwan’s application
for membership on the grounds that “Taiwan is not a sovereign country.” According
to the most recent public opinion survey commissioned by the Mainland Affairs
Council (MAC), the overwhelming majority (77.3 percent) of the Taiwanese people
agree that Taiwan should promote its bid to join the WHO under the name of Taiwan,
while only about 10 percent disagree. This shows that in the face of China’s
suppression, the Taiwanese people have not wavered from their aspiration to
join the WHO.
The MAC stated that the survey results also indicate that the respondents believe
that “developing diplomatic relations with other countries” is as equally important
as “developing cross-strait relations.” Moreover, a large majority of the people
(63.9 percent) agree that Taiwan should continue developing diplomatic relations
with other countries, even if doing so will create tensions in cross-strait
relations
The “Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum” held by the Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT) and Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing was concluded a few
days ago. According to the MAC’s most recent public opinion survey conducted
on the eve of the KMT-CPC forum, over half (55.4 percent) of the public believe
that cross-strait negotiations should be conducted with the government taking
initiative so as to ensure that the overall interests of Taiwan can be comprehensively
considered.
With the approach of the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China,
69.9 percent of the respondents to the most recent MAC survey believe that in
order to further promote the development of Taiwan-Hong Kong relations, high-ranking
officials of Taiwan and Hong Kong should engage in more direct contacts and
exchanges. Moreover, regarding the Taiwanese people’s view on the Chief Executive
election and the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong, 63.7 percent of
the public believe China should let the people of Hong Kong have the right to
directly elect their leader and legislators.
On the issue of direct cross-strait transportation links, the vast majority
(69.3 percent) of the public believe such links should be “opened conditionally,”
while only 14.8 percent believe they should be “opened unconditionally.” Regarding
restrictions imposed by the government on China-bound investments by Taiwanese
businesspeople, 52.2 percent of the public believe such limits should be “slightly
tightened.” Moreover, with regard to Taiwan-China relations, over 80 percent
(80.1 percent) of the public support maintaining the status quo. Regarding China’s
stance on developing cross-strait relations under the “one country, two systems”
formula, the vast majority (72.2 percent) of the public disapprove. The results
are largely consistent with those of the MAC’s previous public opinion surveys.
The public opinion survey was conducted between April 20 and April 22, 2007
by the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University under the authorization
of the MAC. The results of the survey were based on telephone interviews of
adults aged 20 and over in the Taiwan Area. A total of 1,072 effective samples
were obtained, with a sampling error of about 2.99 % based on a 95 % confidence
level.
Appendix I: Summarized Results of the Public Opinion Survey (April 20 to April
22, 2007) “The Public’s View on Current Cross-Strait Relations”
Summarized Results of the Public Opinion Survey
(April 20 to April 22, 2007)
“The Public’s View on Current Cross-Strait Relations”
▇ 77.3 percent of the public agree that the Taiwanese government should promote
Taiwan’s bids to join the United Nations, World Health Organization and other
international organizations under the name of Taiwan, while 11.1 percent of
the public disagree.
▇ On the issue of cross-strait negotiations, 55.4 percent of the public believe
that such negotiations should be conducted with the government taking initiative
so as to ensure that the overall interests of Taiwan can be comprehensively
considered.
▇ Regarding Taiwan-Hong Kong relations, 69.9 percent of the public agree that
high-ranking officials of Taiwan and Hong Kong should engage in more frequent
contacts and exchanges, and 63.7 percent of the respondents believe China should
let the people of Hong Kong have the right to directly elect their leader and
legislators.
▇ On the issue of direct cross-strait transportation links, 69.3 percent of
the public believe such links should be “opened conditionally,” while 14.8 percent
believe such links should be “opened unconditionally.”
▇ On the issue of prioritization of developing diplomatic and cross-strait
relations, 34.2 percent of the public believe it is “more important to develop
relations between Taiwan and China,” which is equal to the percentage of those
believing it is “more important to develop relations with other countries.”
When asked if the development of diplomatic relations will cause tensions in
cross-strait relations, 63.9 percent of those interviewed agree that the government
should continue to develop diplomatic relations with other countries.
▇ The vast majority of the public (80.1 percent) still advocate maintaining
the status quo defined in a broader sense (including “maintaining the status
quo and deciding on independence or unification later,” “maintaining the status
quo and unification later,” “maintaining the status quo and independence later”,
and “maintaining the status quo indefinitely”). Only a very small minority of
people (2.1 percent) support unification as soon as possible. Similarly, the
proportion advocating for declaration of independence as soon as possible only
accounts for 8.2 percent.
I. Survey Background and Methods
In order to gain understanding of the public’s views on related issues concerning
cross-strait relations, the MAC commissioned the Election Study Center of National
Chengchi University to conduct a telephone survey of Taiwanese adults aged 20
and over between April 20 and 22, 2007. A total of 1,072 effective samples were
collected, with a sampling error of about 2.99 % based on a 95 % confidence
level.
II. Major Findings
(1) Views on Taiwan’s application to join international organizations under
the name of Taiwan
77.3 percent of the public agree that the Taiwanese government should promote
Taiwan’s bids to join the United Nations, World Health Organization and other
such international organizations under the name of Taiwan, while 11.1 percent
of the public disagree.
(2) Views on cross-strait negotiations
55.4 percent of the public agree that cross-strait negotiations should be conducted
with the government taking initiative so as to ensure that the overall interests
of Taiwan can be comprehensively considered, while 31.7 percent of the public
disagree.
(3) Views on developing Taiwan-Hong Kong relations and on elections
in Hong Kong
69.9 percent of the public agree that high-ranking officials of Taiwan and
Hong Kong should engage in more frequent contacts and exchanges, while 14 percent
disagree. Moreover, 63.7 percent of the public believe China should let the
people of Hong Kong have the right to directly elect their leader and legislators.
(4) Views on direct cross-strait transportation links
69.3 percent of the public believe direct cross-strait transportation links
should be “opened conditionally,” while 14.8 percent believe they should be
“opened unconditionally.”
(5) Views on China-bound investments by Taiwanese businesspeople
Regarding restrictions imposed by the government on China-bound investments
by Taiwanese businesspeople, 52.2 percent of the public believe such limits
should be “slightly tightened,” while 30.3 percent believe they should be “slightly
eased.”
(6) Public perception of China’s hostility toward Taiwan
58.6 percent of the public believe that the Chinese authorities are unfriendly
to the Taiwanese government (including 22.2 percent responding “extremely unfriendly”
and 36.4 percent responding “unfriendly”). Moreover, 39.9 percent of the public
believe the Chinese authorities are unfriendly to the Taiwanese people (including
12.2 percent responding “extremely unfriendly” and 27.7 percent responding “unfriendly”).
(7) Views on prioritization of developing diplomatic and cross-strait
relations
On the issue of prioritization of developing diplomatic and cross-strait relations,
34.2 percent of the public believe it is “more important to develop relations
between Taiwan and China,” which is equal to the percentage (34.2 percent) of
those believing it is “more important to develop relations with other countries.”
The proportion of people believing the two are of “equal importance” is 22.4
percent. Furthermore, when asked if the development of diplomatic relations
will cause tensions in cross-strait relations, 63.9 percent of the public agree
that the government should continue to develop diplomatic relations with other
countries.
(8) Views on cross-strait exchanges
Regarding the pace of the government’s opening up of cross-strait civilian
exchanges, 34.5 percent of the public believe the pace is “just right,” 30.2
percent believe it is “too slow,” and 22.5 percent believe it is “too fast.”
(9) Views on unification vs. independence
The vast majority of the public (80.1 percent) still advocate maintaining the
status quo defined in a broader sense (including “maintaining the status quo
and deciding on independence or unification later,” “maintaining the status
quo and unification later,” “maintaining the status quo and independence later”,
and “maintaining the status quo indefinitely”). The results are consistent with
the trends shown in previous surveys.
Of the six possible positions on this issue, the largest number (36.3 percent)
support “maintaining the status quo and deciding on independence or unification
later,” while 15.5 percent support “maintaining the status quo indefinitely.”
The results are largely similar to those in previous surveys. Furthermore, the
proportion of people leaning toward independence (23.6 percent, including 8.2
percent for “independence as soon as possible” and 15.4 percent for “maintaining
the status quo and independence later”) is greater than the proportion leaning
toward unification (15 percent, including 2.1 percent for “unification as soon
as possible” and 12.9 percent for “maintaining the status quo and unification
later”).
(10) Views on China’s “one country, two systems” formula
Regarding China’s stance on developing cross-strait relations under the “one
country, two systems” formula, 72.2 percent of the public disapprove, while
only 12.8 percent of the public agree. The results are consistent with those
of previous public opinion surveys.