On October 16, the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office held a regular press conference. During the event, a reporter asked about the recent findings from a media survey on cross-strait relations, which indicated that 54% of respondents believe that Lai Ching-te’s stance—that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and the ‘1992 Consensus’ should not be accepted—has more negative than positive impacts on cross-strait relations. Additionally, 87% of people felt that it is essential to maintain communication between the two sides in the future. How does the office respond to these results?
In response, spokesperson Chen Binhua emphasized that this poll reflects a prevailing sentiment on the island: that the desire for peace over war, development over stagnation, communication over separation, and cooperation over confrontation is widely shared. He criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration for ignoring public opinion and pushing divisive rhetoric such as the “new two-state theory.” He suggested that by consistently colluding with external forces to provoke independence, and obstructing normal cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, the DPP is heightening tensions and undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He concluded that such actions are unpopular and will ultimately lead to widespread disapproval.
