March 18, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in Taiwan consider their republic as sovereign and independent, according to a poll by Zogby International. 63 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 31 per cent think Taiwan’s sovereignty remains undetermined.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in Taiwan consider their republic as sovereign and independent, according to a poll by Zogby International. 63 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 31 per cent think Taiwan’s sovereignty remains undetermined.

Only five per cent of respondents think China’s sovereignty extends over Taiwan.

In 1895, following a military defeat, China ceded Taiwan to Japan. At the end of World War II, the island was returned to Chinese control. In 1949, as Mao Zedong’s communists were gaining prominence in Mainland China, Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek established the Republic of China in Taiwan. A series of democratic reforms implemented by Taiwanese president Lee Teng-hui in the early 1990s allowed Taiwan’s residents to take part in free and fair elections. To this date, the People’s Republic of China considers Taiwan a "renegade province" and reserves the right to bring it under control.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Chen Shui-bian was first elected president in 2000. In March 2004, he earned a second term in an election marred by controversy after an apparent assassination attempt.

In January, the KMT and its partners won 85 seats in the 113-member Legislative Yuan. The KMT advocates for maintaining the status quo with the Chinese central government, while the DPP has aggressively pursued independence from Beijing.

On Mar. 14, Chen referred to Taiwan’s status, saying, "Some people may say the window of opportunity for Taiwan independence has already closed. But I agree even more with the view that the opportunity of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland merging, unifying, is becoming ever more remote."

Taiwan’s next presidential election is scheduled for Mar. 22.

Polling Data

Which is the current status of Taiwan?

Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country	63%
Taiwan’s sovereignty is undetermined	31%
China’s sovereignty extends over Taiwan	5%
No answer	1%

Source: Zogby International
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Taiwanese adults, conducted from Feb. 19 to Feb. 21, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.