A survey recently conducted by the Mainland Affairs Council, a liaison between the Taiwanese government and the People's Republic of China, found that an overwhelming majority of Taiwanese people oppose rule from mainland China.
According to the survey's results, 88 percent of respondents opposed China's "one country, two systems" proposition for Taiwan, as well as China's refusal to abandon military pressure on Taiwan. The survey also found that 80 percent of respondents support democracy in Taiwan.
"The Republic of China is a sovereign state. The one country, two systems framework is filled with lies and illusions," MAC Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said in a statement.
Additionally, the survey found that over 70 percent of respondents support Taiwan's continued push for acceptance into the international community, through participation in groups such as the World Health Assembly, which China has long obstructed. Respondents also opposed China's interference in Taiwanese elections and efforts to push unification across the straits that divide China from the mainland.
"The people of Taiwan should clearly recognize the nature of Beijing's attempts to annex Taiwan and refuse to echo such political views. The government of Taiwan will firmly defend the nation’s sovereignty and democracy," the MAC said in a May press release. "Once again, we sternly warned the other side to not miscalculate public opinion in Taiwan nor misjudge the situation. The only way to support a benign development of cross-Strait relations is to stop malicious provocations against Taiwan."
A similar survey conducted this week found that the majority of Taiwanese people also support the freedom of Hong Kong, after over a month of protests on the island over increased encroachment from the mainland government. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday threw support behind protesters seeking democracy in Hong Kong.