Some 64.5 percent of the Taiwan public are optimistic about the development of cross-Straits relations in the coming year, according to a survey released Tuesday in Taipei.

The survey, by Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), was conducted through random telephone interviews of 1,133 people on the island aged 20 or above from May 13 to 14.

It found 53.2 percent of those surveyed were satisfied with the Taiwan authority's performance in handling cross-Straits relations in the past year, and 66.3 percent believed the cross-Straits talks were conducive to improving relations and enhancing mutual trust.

Also, 60.9 percent of the respondents saw Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly as an observer as indicating the warming of cross-Straits ties.

About 76.7 percent believed cross-Straits exchanges would become even more frequent.

Lee Yun-Jie, a professor with the department of public administration of Taiwan's Open University, said the agreements signed between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan-based SEF in the past year, including those on direct shipping and allowing mainland tourists to visit the island, had greatly benefited cross-Straits relations and Taiwan's economy.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2009)