More than half of Americans prefer to protect Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion: polls

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According to recent polls, the majority of Americans support various US policies to support Taiwan, such as Taiwan’s independence and the dispatch of troops to autonomous islands in the event of China’s invasion.

For the first time, a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs shows that the majority of Americans (52%) prefer to send US troops to protect Taiwan. release A poll conducted in July resulted from a sample of more than 2,000 US adults from 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“This is the highest level ever recorded in a council survey dating back to 1982, when the question was first asked,” the report said.pdf).

Taiwan is virtually an independent country with its own military power, currency and democratically elected government. However, the Chinese administration claims the island to be unique and sees it as a state of rebellion that must be forcibly integrated with the mainland if necessary.

Given the fact that more than half of Americans support the U.S. government, which signs a formal alliance with Taiwan, and past administrations have not made formal defense promises to Taiwan, more than one (46%) have left Taiwan. It turns out that it supports an explicit promise to protect from China.

On the other hand, according to the survey results, 7 out of 10 Americans support the recognition of the island as an independent country, but it is not a policy supported by the US authorities.

In addition, the survey report shows that the majority of respondents consider Taiwan as a necessary partner by supporting participation in international organizations (65%) and the US-Taiwan free trade agreement (57%). increase.

Taiwan United States
On October 9, 2018, a Taiwanese soldier withdrew from a US-made CH-47SD helicopter during a military exercise in Taoyuan, Taiwan. (SamYeh / AFP)

We conclude that distrust of China is an important factor in US public support for Taiwan.

“China’s view has turned negative sharply,” the report said, and Americans see China as a more rival than a necessary partner or alley.

Beijing has recently manipulated public opinion by taking advantage of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan to push agendas such as “Today’s Afghanistan, Tomorrow’s Taiwan.” The administration used rhetoric to suggest that the United States does not defend Taiwan.

According to the report, the Chinese administration has threatened the autonomous islands since 2016. China used economic coercion to carry out operations in the waters and airspace around Taiwan. The United States then sold weapons to Taiwan to normalize the passage of nearby US warships.

A U.S. military plane landed in Taiwan on July 15, China warned the United States that it was “playing with fire,” and the Taiwanese government said it was “dangerous.”

Epoch Times Photo
Taiwanese soldiers will participate in the Han Kuang Exercise at the Qingquan Gran Air Force Base in Taichung, central Taiwan on June 7, 2018. (SamYeh / AFP)
Rita Lee

Rita Lee is a reporter for The Epoch Times, focusing on topics related to China. She started writing the Chinese version in 2018.

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