Last month, the Cabinet drew harsh criticism from the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) when it decided to allow the nation's eight-inch (200mm) wafer foundries to transfer 0.18-micron process technology to China, open direct currency exchange between the yuan and the NT dollar and relax restrictions on the "small three links" between Taiwan's Kinmen and Matsu islands and China's Xiamen and Fuzhou harbors.
Pro-independence groups' reaction to these issues have been mixed. Both Taiwan Advocates (
Cross-strait interaction is a sensitive issue. As long as Tai-wanese have confidence in their identity, why should they worry about relations with China? A series of opinion polls suggest that Taiwanese identity is growing. Based on a survey conducted by the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times' sister newspaper) last February, 58.6 percent of respondents regarded themselves as Taiwanese, and only 30.6 percent considered themselves Chinese.
When asked about Taiwan's future, 35.4 percent of respondents said they wanted Taiwanese independence, 11.8 percent favored unification with China, and 38.2 wanted to maintain the status quo.
However, another survey published by the Election Study Center (ESC) of National Chengchi University (NCU) last June indicated that 44 percent of respondents said they were Taiwanese, while 50 percent said they were Chinese.
Interestingly, the same survey conducted by the center, together with academic institutions in Japan and Hong Kong, last November showed 62 percent of respondents said Taiwan should seek formal independence if Bei-jing "allowed" Taiwan to decide its own future. A further 54 percent of respondents said that even if Beijing did not "allow" Taiwan to pursue independence, that should still be the goal. The survey also showed that the percentage of respondents who considered themselves Taiwanese had increased from 44 percent to 60 percent.
Earlier this month, a recent Taiwan Thinktank (
These surveys demonstrate that although the pan-blue camp and the pro-China media in recent years have created the false impression that Taiwan is leaning toward China, there is still a steady increase in the number of people who view themselves as Taiwanese and those who favor independence. Despite a spate of scandal allegations against President Chen Shui-bian (
Although many Taiwanese businessmen have invested in China over the years, most of them remain patriotic and supportive of Taiwan, but cannot easily declare their stand simply because they are in China.
Taiwanese should not fear China. They should abandon conservative ideologies and deal with China's aggression with an open mind. The Democratic Progressive Party should strive for a scandal-free government, work to improve the nation's economy, support increased public awareness of Taiwanese identity and continue towards the goal of making Taiwan a normalized country.
Kuo Chang-feng is a member of the Northern Taiwan Society.
Translated by Daniel Cheng
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