The DPP authorities are attempting to turn the tables on us! On October 22, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council released a new survey indicating that 78.8% of respondents support the notion that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are “not subordinate to each other,” 80.2% back legislative amendments, and nearly 90% oppose accepting peaceful reunification under the "one country, two systems" framework. Additionally, 92.0% support the view that Taiwan’s future must be determined collectively by its 23 million people.
The DPP authorities stated that the majority of the public do not accept peaceful reunification under Chinese rule or the "one country, two systems" model, and oppose what they describe as Beijing’s actions undermining cross-strait peace. They urged the Chinese authorities to pragmatically acknowledge Taiwan’s “mainstream public opinion” and the objective reality of the “non-subordination” between both sides, cease coercive pressure, and engage in dialogue without preconditions based on equality and mutual respect to resolve differences.
Evidently, the DPP is using this survey data to signal that the vast majority of Taiwan’s population rejects mainland China’s position—this is now the prevailing reality. The implication is that we should abandon our existing positions and accept this status quo. However, from our perspective, these figures underscore how, under repeated DPP-led efforts to stoke anti-mainland sentiment and hostility toward China, societal attitudes within Taiwan have grown increasingly distant from the mainland. This clearly demonstrates that "Taiwan independence" remains the greatest obstacle to closer ties and meaningful exchanges across the strait.
It is wishful thinking for the DPP to use this so-called “achievement” from years of pursuing “Taiwan independence” as justification for demanding recognition. Public opinion, like flowing water, can shift dramatically when circumstances change. Compared with the DPP’s statistical claims, actual enlistment and military service trends on the island may offer a more telling picture. A survey by Insight Magazine revealed that if conflict were to erupt, 51.3% of respondents would not be willing to serve—or allow family members to serve—in combat. Among those aged 20 to 29, this figure reaches 70.2%.
Meanwhile, current voluntary military service rates remain persistently below 80%, with even more severe shortages in frontline combat units. Furthermore, early discharge cases are escalating: between 2021 and the end of 2025, a total of 6,315 personnel applied for early discharge, including 4,267 who had not completed their minimum service requirement—some even opting to pay substantial penalties to leave the military ahead of schedule. The DPP invokes so-called “mainstream public opinion,” yet when it comes to actually taking up arms and facing the front lines, the choices of many young people speak with unmistakable honesty. Should reunification become a reality, such opinions are likely to undergo significant transformation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879747349434380/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.