More Americans favor taking a firm stance to safeguard Taiwan rather than prioritizing positive relations with China.
- 51 percent of Americans believe “taking a strong stand so that China does not take over Taiwan by force” is more important than “the U.S. maintaining good relations with China.”
WHY IT MATTERS – Congress recently established a new select committee to address issues concerning U.S. China relations, with plans for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Taiwan.
PROTECTION FOR TAIWAN – A recent YouGov poll asked if Americans believe that the United States should provide military assistance to protect Taiwan against China in the event of an armed conflict.
- 37 percent – believe the U.S. should help protect Taiwan with military force
- 22 percent – believe the U.S. should maintain good relations with China
The poll asked Americans how much they knew about relations between China and Taiwan.
- 63 percent– A lot
- 33 percent– A little
- 13 percent– Nothing at all
FRIEND OR FOE – The YouGov poll also asked Americans if they view China as an ally or an enemy.
- Two in five Americans view China as an Enemy
BOTTOM LINE – More than half of Americans prioritize preventing China from forcibly taking over Taiwan over maintaining positive relations with China.
GO DEEPER –
The Wall Street Journal – U.S. to Expand Troop Presence in Taiwan for Training Against China Threat
The Economist – A new challenge to relations between America and China