Sun, Jun 24, 2007 page3

• Poll shows support for UN bid

  GENERATION GAP A political science professor at Soochow University, pointed out that younger survey respondents were those most upset by Beijing's suppression

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
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  Nearly 88 percent of participants in a poll said Taiwan, as an independent and sovereign entity, does not need China's approval to join any international organization, while 71.3 percent supported the government's bid to join the UN under the name "Taiwan."

  The poll, released yesterday, was commissioned by the Institute for National Policy Research and conducted by ERA Survey Research Center from June 15 to June 16. A total of 1,070 people were surveyed.

  On the question of nation's planned UN bid, 14.1 percent did not support the campaign and 14.6 percent did not answer.

  More than 77 percent of respondents did not consider Taiwan to be part of China and more than 80 percent of respondents disapproved of China's recent move at the World Organization of Animal Health to downgrade Taiwan to a non-sovereign member of the organization.

  Comparing the poll with a survey recently conducted by Taiwan ThinkTank, Mainland Affairs Council Vice Chairman Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) emphasized that most respondents in the two surveys supported the UN bid and that, regardless of their political affiliations, were upset by China's move against Taiwan and did not think Beijing's behavior was conducive to cross-strait development.

  Respondents also said that the preconditions China demands Taiwan meet in order to take part in various international community are unacceptable, Tung said.

  Although people with different political affiliations agreed in the two polls that China's suppression of Taiwan will continue no matter who wins next year's presidential election, Tung said more pan-green supporters felt this way than pan-blues and unaffiliated respondents.

  Tung said it was worth noting that, among respondents without any political affiliation, the group of people uncertain about whether the outcome of next year's election will affect China's suppression of Taiwan was greater than the group who felt a KMT victory would lead to a change in the situation.

  Tung said the fundamental hurdle between Taiwan and China is the latter's refusal to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty.

  "We hope China will face the status quo and resolve the political differences via practical negotiations rather than military intimidation and diplomatic suppression," he said.

  Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), a political science professor at Soochow University, pointed out that younger survey respondents were those most upset by Beijing's suppression.

  Pan-blue supporters were more divided over the issue of national identity than pan-greens, Lo said.

  Tuan Cheng (鄭端耀), a researcher at National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations, said both the governing and opposition parties might see eye to eye on joining the UN, but they differed on the name the country should use.

  The administration might want to be more flexible in this regard and make efforts to win the backing of the US first, he said.
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