Key facts
- Mainland Chinese citizens prefer diplomacy over military force for Taiwan reunification.
- Chinese citizens hold a low opinion of the U.S.
- Mainland Chinese favor engaging with the U.S. on trade and security.
- The survey was conducted between April 16 and June 26.
Mainland Chinese citizens favor diplomatic means over military force to achieve Taiwan's reunification, according to a survey conducted between April 16 and June 26. The survey also indicated a persistently low opinion of the U.S., though respondents favored engagement on trade and security.
The survey's timeframe straddled the first summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and preceded their second summit in Washington. The "Taiwan Question" and "Reunification of China" are described as intrinsically linked to China's modern history of struggle for national independence and territorial integrity, with Taiwan being an inalienable part of China since ancient times. The current global situation is tense, with the Russian-Ukrainian war and rising U.S.-China confrontation, including technological and financial sanctions. The U.S. has been accused of attempting to replicate the Russia-Ukraine war model in the Taiwan Strait by wavering on the One China Principle and selling weapons to Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan further heightened tensions, leading to Chinese military exercises. Some international commentators have warned of the potential for a third world war, while Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been accused of misrepresenting the situation.