Many Taiwanese are standing with the US amidst increased cross-strait tensions. That was the latest analysis from a New York Times report.
It cited a UK-based YouGov survey of 15 European and Asian countries. Of them, Taiwan saw the greatest support for Donald Trump with 42% favoring him while 30% supported Biden. All other countries surveyed saw the majority of people favoring Biden. The survey shows Taiwanese support for the stronger US-Taiwan ties that have developed under the Donald Trump and President Tsai Ing-wen administrations.
An Academia Sinica survey this summer also found that 72% of respondents in Taiwan liked the US while only 35% liked China. This shows a general support for Tsai’s policy of drawing closer to the US.
But some scholars are expressing concern about the current state of US-China-Taiwan relations. National Chengchi University Diplomacy Professor Lu Yeh-chung said that the attitude of the Tsai administration has led to China putting immense pressure on Taiwan. Tamkang University China Studies Professor Chao Chun-shan also said that in the past, Taiwan has usually been sacrificed when US-China relations are bad.
The article said that whoever wins the US, Taiwan hopes to maintain its interests and security by walking the middle line in US-Taiwan-China relations.