Chinese public not so keen on unification: pollINVASION UNPOPULAR: Chinese would likely accept their government having a softer stance toward cross-strait relations, one of the coauthors of the article saidBy William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNAInterest among the Chinese public in the issue of China’s unification with Taiwan is low, researchers said, citing the results of a poll. An article titled “Assessing Public Support for (Non-)Peaceful Unification with Taiwan: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey in China,” published in the Journal of Contemporary China on May 14, showed that only 55 percent of those surveyed in China would support the use of military force to achieve unification with Taiwan. Chinese and Taiwanese flags are pictured in an illustration taken on April 28 last year. “This obviously does not support [Chinese President] Xi Jinping’s (習近平) statement that ‘the whole country is eagerly looking forward to the return of Taiwan,’” she said. Based on research on the level of self-censorship practiced by Chinese when taking polls, the actual percentage of those who support military force might be closer to 25 percent, he said.

Source: Taipei Times May 24, 2023 01:25 UTC