Key facts
- A poll of 1,127 Taiwanese residents found that 44.9% prioritize strengthening self-reliant defense capabilities for security.
- 29.7% of respondents favored extending goodwill towards mainland China.
- 11.8% preferred deepening cooperation with the U.S.
- The survey was conducted by the Institute for National Defence and Security Research in Taipei.
A survey conducted in Taiwan shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing indicates a public preference for self-reliance in defense over closer ties with the United States or overtures to mainland China.
The poll, released by the government-funded Institute for National Defence and Security Research in Taipei, surveyed 1,127 residents between May 28 and May 31. When asked about the most crucial approach to safeguarding Taiwan's security and peace across the strait, 44.9% of respondents selected "strengthening self-reliant defence capabilities." A significant portion, 29.7%, favored "extending goodwill towards mainland China," while 11.8% preferred "deepening cooperation with the U.S."