Taiwan residents voice growing disapproval on 'independence': Survey

More Taiwan residents have expressed dissatisfaction toward the ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities for their stance of seeking "Taiwan independence", according to a recent poll.

Conducted by Taiwan newspaper United Daily News, the poll showed that the proportion of respondents concerned about "Taiwan independence" and the DPP's staying in power after the island's leadership elections scheduled for January has increased compared with last year.

The annual survey showed that 49 percent of Taiwan respondents were dissatisfied with the island leader Tsai Ing-wen's handling of cross-Strait relations, while 38 percent were satisfied.

Hou Yu-ih, Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang election candidate, said last week to island media that during the more than seven years of DPP governance, the situation in the Taiwan Strait has approached the brink of war.

He said the leader of the Taiwan authorities should be able to play the role of a peacemaker and risk reducer for cross-Strait relations.

KMT spokesman Lin Chiahsing cited the survey last week, saying that the DPP should abandon its stance of "Taiwan independence" and not become a troublemaker for regional peace.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Beijing that the survey showed that an increasing number of Taiwan people realize that "Taiwan independence" means war.

Since the DPP came to power in 2016, it has relied on foreign forces to seek "independence" but ignored people's livelihoods, he said.

Ma Ying-jeou, from the KMT and the island's former leader, refused to attend the island's "Double Tenth" day or "national" day on Oct 10 hosted by Tsai, due to the DPP's decision to change the event's name from the "Republic of China National Day" to "Taiwan National Day".

Chen said the mainland appreciated Ma and other people from all walks of life on the island's clear attitude against "Taiwan independence", and no matter what the DPP do, they cannot change the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait are part of one and the same China.