More than 80 percent of people agree that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday showed.
The survey reported that 82.2 percent of respondents supported the statement: “The Republic of China (Taiwan) and China are not subordinate to each other, which is the objective reality across the Taiwan Strait,” while more than 90 percent opposed China sending military aircraft and warships to conduct drills near Taiwan.
The survey also showed that 83.6 percent disagree with Beijing’s claim that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” as well as its assertion that “Taiwan must adhere to the one China principle.”
Photo: Wu Shu-wei, Taipei Times
There were 89.6 percent who opposed China blocking Taiwan’s international participation and 89.3 percent wanted Beijing to refrain from interfering with Taipei’s bid to join into the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the survey showed.
Eighty-seven percent of respondents said that they opposed China’s disinformation campaign aimed at inciting divisions within Taiwan, while 78.1 percent disgreed with China’s statements that “Taiwan is colluding with foreign forces” to seek independence and that the nation is “provoking China to create tension in the Strait,” it showed.
More than 70 percent supported the government’s refusal to acknowledge China’s “one country, two systems” framework, 75.8 percent were willing to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy, and 70.5 percent agreed that Taiwan should show the resolve to safeguard the nation’s security and cooperate with countries that have similar values, it showed.
Nearly 72 percent said they agreed that regulations to permit Chinese to visit Taiwan should be reinstated when the COVID-19 pandemic stabilizes, while 76.7 percent supported heightened measures to monitor Chinese who visit Taiwan, it showed.
MAC officials reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign country and that Taiwanese oppose Beijing’s deceitful “one China principle,” its constraining of Taiwan’s international operating space and continual military threats, which undermine world peace and security, and contravene international order.
Taipei has plans to upgrade the nation’s self-defense capability and deepen partnerships with the US, Japan and other democracies, the officials said, adding that Beijing should to stop its military intimidation and acknowledge Taiwan’s existence to allow positive development of cross-strait ties.
The survey was conducted by Taiwan Real Survey Co from Thursday last week to Sunday.
It polled people aged 20 or older, garnering 1,070 valid samples.
It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
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