Mon, Mar 06, 2006 page3

• Large majority say `let us decide'

  LISTEN TO US A little over 87 percent of respondents to a recent survey said that they agreed that the future of Taiwan should be decided by the Taiwanese people

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  One year after China enacted its "Anti-Secession" Law, more than 87 percent of people polled in a local survey said that the people of Taiwan have the final say on the country's future and that Beijing cannot use non-peaceful means to resolve cross-strait issues.

  The survey, commissioned by the Institute for National Policy Research, questioned more than 1,000 adults between Feb. 28 and last Thursday. It found that 87.1 percent of respondents said that they agreed the future of Taiwan should be decided by the Taiwanese people, while only 5.5 percent said they did not agree.

  While the Anti-Secession Law authorizes Beijing to adopt a non-peaceful approach to resolve cross-strait disputes, 88.7 percent of respondents said that they did not agree with such a tactic. Only 5.2 percent said they agreed.

  

  Lo Chih-cheng, second right, director of the Taipei-based Institute for National Policy Research, yesterday presides over a symposium titled ``One year after China enacted the `Anti-Secession' Law and the development of cross-strait relations.''

  PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES

  More than 77 percent of respondent also said that they could not accept the Anti-Secession Law, which claims that Taiwan is part of China and that Taiwan is not an independent, sovereign state.

  Overall, about 49 percent of respondents said cross-strait relations have deteriorated over the past year, while nearly 12 percent said they had improved and about 28 percent said things remained pretty much the same.

  Regarding China's military buildup, more than 85 percent of the respondents said that the international community should pay attention to China's increasing missile deployment and possible military attack against Taiwan, while only 5.7 percent of the people disagreed.

  More than 70 percent of those questioned also said that China's missiles deployed along its coastline are targeted at Taiwan, while about 3 percent said they are aimed at the US and about 18 percent said they did not know.

  When asked whether they were worried that China's military expansion may threaten regional safety, more than 57 percent of the respondents said they were, while nearly 40 percent said they were not.

  Chao Chien-min (趙建民), a professor at National Chengchi University's Sun Yat-sen Graduate Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities, said that although the country is politically divided, it is clear that public opinion is against China's military intimidation and use of non-peaceful means to resolve cross-strait disputes.

  Chao called on the administration to take advantage of international public opinion and create the most favorable situation for the country.

  The poll also indicated that nearly 67 percent of the respondents preferred maintaining the "status quo," while about 17 percent said they preferred independence and 12 percent favored unification.

  Lin Wen-cheng (林文程), vice president of the Foundation for Democracy and a professor at the Institute of China Studies at National Sun Yat-Sen University, said that those who favored maintaining the "status quo" should actually be regarded as preferring independence, thereby constituting a majority.

  The secretary-general of the Friends of Hong Kong & Macao Association, Chang Wu-yen (張五岳), said that as only 30 percent of the population are currently for either independence or unification, the intentions of the other 70 percent are worth observing.

  Although the US considered the episode on the National Unification Council closed, it will be watching closely to see whether the administration will honor the seven-point statement President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) made when announcing his decision on the council and guidelines, Chang said.

  Chen Ming-tung (陳明通), a professor of political science at National Taiwan University and former Mainland Affairs Council vice chairman, defended the president's decision to cease the functions of the council, saying that the public should not be too critical about the move's timing, because the goal has been achieved.

  He also lamented public apathy toward the Anti-Secession Law.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    TSMC and Nvidia team up on silicon photonics, CEO Jensen Huang says

  • 2

    Master sergeant killed after being sucked into engine

  • 3

    TikTok could be affecting views of young Taiwanese

  • 4

    Dozens injured after quakes damage buildings

  • 5

    Tourist faces a fine after being struck by a train