Taiwan's Resolve: Overwhelming Rejection of 'One Country, Two Systems' Persists

Poll Reveals Strong Taiwanese Opposition to Beijing's Approach and Enduring Support for the Status Quo

Taipei, April 25 – A recent survey indicates that a vast majority of Taiwanese citizens continue to disagree with Beijing's proposed "one country, two systems" framework for cross-strait relations. The poll, released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), demonstrates a consistent pattern of resistance to the concept.

The survey revealed that 84.4% of respondents reject the "one country, two systems" model. This figure aligns with findings from previous MAC surveys conducted over the past three years, where opposition has consistently remained high, ranging between 83.6% and 89.6%.

Further underscoring Taiwanese sentiments, 82.5% of respondents rejected China's claim that "Taiwan is a part of China's territory and has never been a country." Additionally, 80.6% disagreed with the "one-China" principle, reflecting deep-seated reservations regarding Beijing's stance.

The survey also showed that 79.1% of participants support the view that the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China (PRC, China) are distinct entities, a position that has consistently found strong backing in earlier surveys. This support has fluctuated between approximately 74% and a peak of 82.2% in May 2022.

When asked about the preferred cross-strait status, over 85% of respondents favored maintaining the status quo. This includes 36% who prefer a permanent status quo, 25.9% who want to decide Taiwan's future later, and 19.9% who currently support the status quo but ultimately favor independence.

Concerning China's influence operations in Taiwan, 73.7% of respondents believe that the Chinese Communist Party is intensifying its infiltration of Taiwanese society. Moreover, 70.9% support requiring elected representatives to obtain government permission before engaging with China, reflecting heightened concerns about Beijing's influence.

In addition, 56.9% of respondents stated that when Chinese nationals apply to enter Taiwan, the government should consider whether they are linked to China's unification strategy. The survey also touched upon recent controversies in Taiwanese society, including the revocation of residence permits for two Chinese spouses. On this issue, 67.8% supported the government's decision.

Meanwhile, 70.9% of respondents perceived the Beijing government as "unfriendly" towards Taipei, compared to only 15.5% who viewed it as "friendly."

The survey was conducted by National Chengchi University's Election Study Center via telephone interviews from April 17 to 21, with 1,099 valid samples from respondents aged 20 or older. The margin of error was 2.96 percentage points.