TAIPEI: Nearly 70 percent of the respondents to a recent poll expressed approval of institutional cross-Straits negotiations, expressing the belief they are helpful for forging peace and stability in relations between Taiwan and the mainland.

The survey, conducted by the poll center of the Taipei Municipal University of Education under the commission of the Mainland Affairs Council, found that 65 percent of respondents agreed that the establishment of communication channels between relevant government agencies of the two sides will help solve the problems resulting from increased cross-Straits exchanges.

On a proposed agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, 58 percent of those polled said they support the government's move to postpone the inking of the pact. The agreement was not signed as scheduled in the last round of cross-Straits talks that concluded last week in Taichung City, central Taiwan.

With regard to the agenda for the next round of talks - scheduled to take place in the first half of next year on the mainland - 73 percent of those surveyed said the issue of intellectual property rights protection should be included. Fifty-five percent said they favor discussion of the proposed cross-Straits economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).

The survey, conducted December 25-27 with 1,092 valid samples collected, has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 12/31/2009 page2)