Taiwanese adults remain divided about their future, according to a poll by United Daily News. 21 per cent of respondents would choose “rapid” independence from China, while 10 per cent would prefer eventual sovereignty on a slower pace.
Taiwan was formed in 1949 after the government of Chiang Kai-shek was forced out of China as Mao Zedong’s communists were gaining prominence. To this date, Mainland China considers Taiwan a “renegade province” and reserves the right to bring it under control. 36 per cent of respondents favour maintaining the current status quo, while only six per cent would choose reunification with China.
In an Oct. 10 speech, president Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (MCT) said, “The Republic of China is Taiwan, and Taiwan is the Republic of China.” The president also proposed using the bilateral talks held in 1992 in Hong Kong as a basis for the resumption of dialogue between Taiwan and Mainland China.
Mainland China’s spokesman for Taiwanese affairs Zhang Mingqing said Chen’s speech represented “an open and audacious expression of Taiwan independence.”
Last week, the Education Ministry announced a decision to divide the history of Taiwan from the history of China in the new school textbooks. Taiwanese voters will renew the Legislative Yuan on Dec. 11.
Polling Data
Which of the following options do you most agree with?
Rapid independence from China
21%
Slow independence from China
10%
Maintaining status quo
36%
Rapid reunification with China
6%