TAIPEI, Feb 20 Kyodo athwart 40%...

TAIPEI, Feb 20 Kyodo

athwart 40% of the Taiwan public support President Chen Shui-bian's controversial ''defensive'' referendum to be held alongside nearest month's presidential election, according to an opinion individual published Friday.

The observe conducted by the Chinese-language China Times between Monday and Thursday, showed that among 2535 eligible voter canvassed, 43% intend to ballot ''yes,'' 4% will invalidate their ballots, 36% will abstain, and 17% remained undecided.

In the island's first referendum voter will be required to answer couple questions while casting their ballots: whether they agree to the government's plan to purchase more advanced antimissile weapons to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and whether they support formation of a ''peace and stability'' framework for cross-strait interactions.

Chen's aggressive push for the island's historic referendum has sparked heated debate at fireside since last November.

Supporters of the public promised argued that it will make deeper democracy and safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty and the status quo adverse partys insist that the island faces no imminent threats from external forces.

In addition, Chen's put in motion widely viewed as a campaign ploy to court voters, has annoyed China and worried the United States, Taipei's closest ally.

Washington is interested that Chen, if he is reelect may use a referendum mechanism onward explosive issues, such as constitutional changes and Taiwan independence.

China has threatened to take military action should the self-rul island, which Beijing views as an unalienable part of its ''sacred territory,'' interest toward a permanent split from the mainland.

Meanwhile, the same person showed that opposition chief Lien Chan of the Nationalist Party (KMT) would win 43% of the consecrated by a vow compared with 40% for Chen.

the two candidates will participate in the island's secondary televised debate on Saturday, at which cross-strait relations are look fored to figure highly.

The couple political adversaries clashed over their economic and education policies in the island's first debate last Saturday.

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