Nearly half of the ROC’s youth agree that Taiwan and mainland China are two separate entities, while almost 80 percent believe Beijing will not renounce the use of force against Taipei, according to a study released May 12.
The survey, commissioned by think tank the 21st Century Foundation, explores the beliefs of high school and university students, as well as those out of school up to age 25, on issues of national identity, sovereignty and cross-strait relations.
Regarding national identity, 46 percent of the respondents agreed with the statement “Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China, and neither belongs to the other.” The characterization of “the ROC on Taiwan” was supported by 24 percent, “the ROC is Taiwan” by 20 percent, “Taiwan and mainland China both belong to the ROC” by 8 percent, and “Taiwan is part of China” by 2 percent.
Chang Yu-tzung, associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University and leader of the research team, said the results indicate that younger members of society tend to base their national identification on political realities and life experience rather than nationalist ideologies.
Concerning cross-strait relations, 78.9 percent expressed the belief that Beijing would not forswear the use of military force against Taiwan should its citizens declare clear support for independence or opposition to unification.
The survey also showed that 31.6 percent of the respondents said they would refuse to join military mobilization in case of war with mainland China.
“This refusal to sacrifice their lives for national sovereignty shows a pragmatic tendency among the youth,” Chang said.
According to the research team, the study employed both quantitative and research methods. The results of 719 questionnaires collected in face-to-face interviews or online were combined with data from focus group interviews and seminars on the preliminary results. The research was carried out from August to December 2011. (THN)