Majority Taiwanese opposes Beijing’s `one China, two systems’ policy: Poll

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Nearly 90 percent of Taiwanese oppose Beijing’s “one China, two systems” and its diplomatic oppression of Taiwan, including its moves against Lithuania, a poll released yesterday by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) showed.

The high polling numbers suggest that the majority supports the government’s cross-strait policy, MAC Deputy Minister Lee Li-jane told an online news briefing.

The poll showed that 83.9 percent of respondents support President Tsai Ing-wen’s stance that Taiwan’s only option is to build up its strength, solidarity and defensive capabilities.

It also showed that 70.4 percent of respondents disagree with Beijing’s attempts to show that the US’ pledge of protection is “shaky” following its withdrawal from Afghanstan, while 88.6 percent support the government collaborating with the US and like-minded countries to ensure peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The survey found that 64.2 percent of respondents back legislative amendments to restrict specialists in technologies critical to the state from visiting China, the council said.

Furthermore, 64 percent support stricter examinations of Chinese citizens attempting to enter Taiwan, it said.

Support for maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” stood at 85.4 percent, and 73 percent felt that Beijing bears an ill will toward the Taiwanese government, while another 57.9 percent thought Beijing was antagonistic to Taiwanese in general, the survey showed.

More than 85 percent said that only the Taiwanese public can determine Taiwan’s future and the development of cross-strait relations, it showed.

The survey, commissioned by the council, was conducted by National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center from Thursday last week to Monday. It collected 1,073 valid results from the telephone poll targeting Taiwanese aged 20 and older.

In related news, Lee said that the council is aware that some people have proposed signing a memorandum of understanding on promoting cross-strait peace, apparently referring to a proposal made by Sun Yat-sen School president Chang Ya-chung (張亞中), who is running for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairperson.

Without the approval of the council or other authorities, any agreement concerning political issues with the Chinese government would be illegal, Lee said, citing the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

Any political negotiations, without a public mandate, would run counter to the majority opinion, Lee added. (Taipei Times)