The results of a survey released yesterday show that the rate of support for eventual Taiwanese independence stands at 55.4 percent, up six percentage points from a year ago and the highest since similar polls were conducted in 2006.
In a survey conducted by Taiwan Indicator Survey Research (TISR), 55.4 percent of the respondents said they prefered eventual independence, while 29.9 percent said they did not support the idea.
The rate of support increased by 6.1 percentage points from a similar poll undertaken in April last year, which showed a support rate of 49.3 percent. The latest poll shows the highest support for independence of the 11 polls that were conducted between Feb. 2006 and the present.
In the interim, support rates for eventual independence reached a high of 51.4 percent and hit a low of 42.1 percent in Dec. 2009, TISR general manager Tai Li-an (戴立安) said in a press release, adding that the growth in support over the past year was notable.
A breakdown of respondents’ political affiliations found that 76.8 percent of pan-green supporters said independence was preferable, while 29.9 percent disagreed. Among pan-blue supporters, 40.7 percent would like to see Taiwan develop as a new and independent nation and 49.8 percent would not.
Support rates for eventual unification with China remained steady, with 18.6 percent of those polled supporting the concept and 66.6 percent opposing the idea.
Over the past six years, support for eventual unification hit a 28.7 percent high in Feb. 2006, but was never able to regain strength as an idea, according to data provided by the TISR.
Meanwhile, 36.1 percent of respondents said a unified country — named neither the People’s Republic of China nor the Republic of China — would be acceptable, while 45.8 percent did not favor the development.
However, younger generations tended to disapprove of the arrangement, Tai said, with 62.3 percent of those aged 20-29 and 53.6 percent of the 30-39 age group saying the “two sides, one country” option is unacceptable.
More respondents said that China’s rise as a superpower would be negative rather than positive for Taiwan’s economic development: 44.8 percent said it would have an adverse effect on Taiwan, while 37.2 percent said it would be positive.
Additionally, 59.6 percent of those polled — including more than 70 percent of the 20-39 age group — said they would like to see China increase its exchanges with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while 19.4 percent disapproved.
In a question which asked which political party would help Taiwan more through additional cross-strait exchanges, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) remained the respondents’ top choice at 46.7 percent, with the DPP following at 30.7 percent.
The poll, which was conducted on Monday and Tuesday, collected 1,009 valid samples and had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
A series of discussions on the legacy of martial law and authoritarianism are to be held at the Taipei International Book Exhibition this month, featuring findings and analysis by the Transitional Justice Commission. The commission and publisher Book Republic organized the series, entitled “Escaping the Nation’s Labyrinth of Memory: What Authoritarian Symbols and Records Can Tell Us,” to help people navigate narratives through textual analysis and comparisons with other nations. The four-day series is to begin on Thursday next week with a discussion between commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui (楊翠), Polish-language translator Lin Wei-yun (林蔚昀), and Polish author and artist Pawel Gorecki comparing
‘EFFECTIVE DETERRENCE’: If the Biden administration suspends arms sales to Taiwan, the military could still ready a nimble fighting force for defense, an analyst said The “US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific” last week sparked debate among analysts after US President Donald Trump declassified the document 20 years ahead of schedule. Trump on Tuesday last week released the document that had governed US strategic action in the region since the US leader approved its use in 2018. The document, which outlines US priorities in the region, emphasizes the importance of defending Taiwan against military aggression and facilitating the country’s development of asymmetric strategies and capabilities. The overall directive of the document is for the US to prevent China from establishing sustained air and sea dominance inside the first
MOVING OUT: A former professor said that rent and early education costs in Taipei are the nation’s highest, which makes it difficult for young people to start families The population of Taipei last year fell to the lowest in 23 years due to high rent, more transportation options and the expansion of northern cities into a single metropolis, academics and city officials said on Monday. Data released this month by the Ministry of the Interior showed that the capital was home to 2,602,418 people last year, down 42,623 from 2019. The decline is second only to 1993, when the population fell by 42,828 people, while Taipei’s population was the lowest it has been since 1997. Taipei saw the biggest drop among the six special municipalities, while Taoyuan led the group in
A legislator yesterday called for authorities to investigate the sale of Chinese-made, Internet-connected karaoke machines containing “propaganda songs.” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said she was approached by a person who had discovered Chinese patriotic songs such as My Motherland (我的祖國) — which is commonly referred to as China’s “second national anthem” — in Chinese-made karaoke devices sold in Taiwan. The machines are popular, as they can connect to the Internet, providing access to thousands of songs, she said. One retailer, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the machines first entered the local market about three years ago, starting with