The majority of people oppose imports of US meat containing ractopamine, but remain optimistic about Taiwan-US relations, survey results released yesterday by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation found.
Foundation chairman Michael You (游盈隆) designed the questions, and commissioned Focus Survey Research to conduct the survey by telephone.
Respondents were asked about a variety of major issues, which also included Taiwan-China relations, and public approval of the president and premier.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Of the respondents, 66.3 percent opposed imports of meat products containing ractopamine, while 28.2 percent approved, the foundation said.
However, the survey found that 60 percent of Democratic Progressive Party supporters approved of the imports, while 32 percent did not.
Among Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters, only 2.4 percent approved of the imports, and 97 percent opposed them.
Among the Taiwan People’s Party supporters who were surveyed, 15 percent approved of the imports and 85 percent disapproved, while 12 percent of New Power Party supporters approved and 79 percent disapproved.
Among those who had no political affiliation, 19 percent of respondents approved of the imports, while 74 percent opposed them.
The survey also found that 54.3 percent of respondents supported a referendum drive initiated by KMT lawmakers to reinstitute a ban on meat products containing ractopamine, while 36.1 percent did not.
Nearly all of the respondents aged 65 or under were in support of the referendum, while half of those above the age of 65 backed it, the foundation said.
Of the respondents, 51.3 percent said that they approved of how President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was dealing with major issues, while 37.4 percent said that they did not.
Regarding Premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) overall performance, 52.3 percent said that they were happy with it, while 41.7 percent were dissatisfied.
Sixty-five percent of respondents said that they were not concerned that the relationship between Taiwan and the US would regress following the inauguration of US President Joe Biden, while 28 percent said they had such concerns.
On the issue of whether authorities should strive for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN, 79 percent said that they should, while 15 percent said they should not.
Meanwhile, 67 percent of the respondents said they disagreed that the Taiwan-China relationship was more important than Taiwan’s relations with other countries, while 26 percent said that it was.
Of the 67 percent, 37 percent said that they “strongly disagreed,” while of the 26 percent, 12 percent “strongly agreed.”
Half of respondents supported formal Taiwanese independence, while 14 percent said that they hoped Taiwan would eventually be unified with China, and 25 percent hoped that the “status quo” would be maintained.
The survey, conducted on Monday and Tuesday last week, collected 1,081 valid questionnaires and had a margin of error of 2.98 percentage points.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
RSS