Taipei - Taiwan and China improved relations in the past
year, but citizens differ on the prospect of unification, a survey
conducted on both the mainland and the island showed Sunday.
The Global Views Monthly magazine polled 1,004 Taiwanese adults
while commissioning China's Horizonkey.com to interview 3,192 adults
in eight Chinese cities and towns.
Cross-strait tension eased since Taiwan opened its doors to
Chinese tourists July 4, 2008, but many Taiwanese still regard the
island as an independent country.
Some 60 per cent of those polled said they wanted Taiwan to
maintain its status quo, but 64.2 per cent of mainland Chinese
believe Taiwan will reunify with China.
When asked what kind of relationship will form between the two
sides, 52.3 per cent of Chinese said they view Taiwanese as their
'family or friends,' while 53.6 of Taiwanese saw Chinese as their
business partners.
The poll also showed that Chinese are more concerned about future
cross-strait ties, 67.4 per cent, but only 47 per cent of Taiwanese
saw that as a priority.
The survey was part of the magazine's '2020 Key Report' which
predicts that China could become the biggest world power within a
decade, and urges Taiwan to seize the opportunity to benefit from the
mainland's emergence.
'In the past year, President Ma Ying-jeou's policy of 'No
Independence, No Unification, No Military Intervention' has received
positive response (from China); the two sides have opened the door to
a win-win outcome,' Global Views Monthly chairman Kao Hsi-chun wrote.
He said Taipei should speed up and expand cross-strait exchanges
because 'Taiwan people's welfare and Taiwan's stability rely on the
stability of cross-strait ties.'
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