Taipei [Taiwan], May 2 : A survey conducted by the Carter Center and Emory University in Atlanta revealed that over half of the Chinese population opposed using force to unify with Taiwan under any circumstances, as reported by Taipei Times.
The findings, released on Wednesday in a report titled "Sovereignty, Security, and US-China Relations: Chinese Public Opinion, indicated that 55.1 per cent of participants either agreed or somewhat agreed that "the Taiwan issue should not be resolved through force under any circumstances. In comparison, 24.5 per cent either 'strongly or somewhat' disagreed with this statement, according to Taipei Times.
These results reflect a shift in perspective compared to a survey published in May 2023 titled "Assessing Public Support for (Non)Peaceful Unification with Taiwan: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey in China," which showed that 55 per cent of respondents supported a full-scale war for unification with Taiwan, as noted in the Carter Center report.
Nonetheless, many participants in the recent survey mentioned that they would endorse military action if it were deemed the final option. Only 18.1 per cent stated that military action was unnecessary.
"Chinese public opinion mirrors American sentiments. Polling conducted by Tsinghua University's Center for International Security and Strategy revealed that 87.6 per cent of Chinese respondents believe that the United States is actively attempting to hinder China's progress," the report quoted, as mentioned by Taipei Times.
The report stated that when asked how long China should wait to settle the Taiwan issue, the majority of respondents, 33.5 per cent, suggested a timeframe of five years. Additionally, participants were queried about China's relations with Russia, India, and nations around the South China Sea.
66.1 per cent expressed that China should back Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating it aligns with Beijing's national interests. In contrast, only 5.8 per cent disagreed, believing it does not serve China's interests to support Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Furthermore, 79.7 per cent felt that Beijing should uphold its border claims with India, despite the potential for conflict, whereas 20.3 per cent preferred a more diplomatic approach.
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