Yahoo! News - A fifth of Taiwanese want independence from China soon: survey: "A fifth of Taiwanese want independence from China soon: survey
A fifth of Taiwanese want independence from China soon: survey
Sat Nov 13, 2:00 AM ET Asia - AFP
TAIPEI (AFP) - The number of Taiwanese who want rapid independence from China has reached a record high 21 percent, despite Beijing's repeated threats to crush any such moves, according to a new survey.
A similar survey in March 2000, right after independence-leaning Chen Shui-bian was elected president, showed only eight percent wanted independence swiftly.
The latest opinion poll published Saturday by the United Daily News surveyed 942 people on Friday against the backdrop of the education ministry's controversial announcement last week that it planned to split the history of the island from that of China in new school textbooks.
The survey also found that 10 percent of Taiwanese wanted "slow independence," while 36 percent preferred to maintain the status quo.
Taiwan has governed itself since it split from China in 1949, but has not formally declared independence. China still claims sovereignty over the island an1d has threatened to invade should it move towards full independence.
Only six percent of those polled favor "rapid reunification" with the mainland, a three percent decline from four years ago.
A separate opinion poll conducted by the TVBS news network in September indicated that for the first time more people here felt they were "Taiwanese" (45 percent) rather than "Taiwanese
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