More than 80 percent of Taiwanese do not accept the “one country, two systems” formula and a majority reject the existence of the so-called “1992 consensus,” a survey published yesterday by the Cross-Strait Policy Association found.
Asked whether they supported Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) proposal of a “one country, two systems” model for unification, which would make Taiwan a local government and eliminate the Republic of China (ROC), 80.9 percent answered “no” and 13.7 percent said “yes.”
Even among respondents who identify with the pan-blue camp, the majority — 64.7 percent of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters and 63 percent of People First Party supporters — rejected the formula, the survey found.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
In addition, 68.5 percent did not think Beijing’s “one China” principle has room for the ROC, versus 25.5 percent who believed it does.
As for the “1992 consensus,” 55.7 percent of respondents did not think it exists, while 34.1 percent thought otherwise, with pan-blue supporters generally believing in its existence, the poll showed.
The “1992 consensus” — a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
However, Xi in a speech in Beijing on Wednesday last week said that it means “both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait belong to ‘one China’ and will work jointly to seek national unification.”
Seventy-eight percent of respondents agreed with President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) stance that cross-strait political negotiations need a mandate from the people, should be subject to public scrutiny and must be carried out by the governments on both sides of the Strait.
Tsai was responding to Xi’s expression of willingness to engage in dialogue on unification and cross-strait political issues with all political parties, groups and individuals from Taiwan on the basis of the “one China” principle.
Tsai’s “four musts” and calls for setting up of a three-part security network for cross-strait exchanges in her New Year’s address received overwhelming public support, garnering support from 85.2 percent and 87.3 percent of respondents respectively, the poll showed.
The “four musts” state that China must recognize the existence of the ROC; must respect the values of democracy and freedom that Taiwan’s 23 million people hold dear; must resolve cross-strait differences in a peaceful and equitable manner; and must engage in negotiations with the government of Taiwan or an institution with a government mandate.
The three-part security network includes parts to strengthen security of people’s livelihoods, enhance information security and improve security protecting democracy in cross-strait interactions.
Asked if they were satisfied with Tsai’s overall response to Xi’s speech, 61.6 percent answered “yes,” while 28.2 percent said “no.”
The poll, conducted on Saturday and Sunday, collected 1,047 valid samples, and has a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of 2.99 percentage points.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
COUNTERING THE PLA: While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Phillip Davidson said If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday. “China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington. Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of
RSS