Taiwan, China ties improve, but still differ on unification

Jul 5, 2009, 6:40 GMT

   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.'