Taipei (AFP): According to a poll released on Wednesday, the majority of Taiwanese people were prepared to defend the island against a Chinese invasion, but they also thought Beijing was unlikely to attack in the next five years.
In recent years, China has increased political and military pressure on Taiwan, a democratic island that is self-governing, claiming it as part of its territory.
The Institute for National Defense and Security Research commissioned the survey, which was completed last month. It was made public ahead of Taiwan's National Day speech on Thursday.
China has conducted three rounds of massive war simulations in the last two years, during which it dispatched ships and bombers to encircle Taiwan. China also maintains a nearly constant military presence around the island.
Of the 1,214 respondents, 67.8% stated they would be "very willing or somewhat willing" to fight in defense of Taiwan in the case of a Chinese attack, while 23.6% said they would not.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed his military to be prepared for a successful assault of the island by 2027, according to a statement made by CIA director William Burns last year.
The head of the Taipei-based think tank, Lee Wen-chung, stated that the date of a possible Chinese invasion in 2027 was predicated on when Xi might run for a fourth term.
“In order to successfully obtain the governing power for the fourth time in 2027, he may adopt relatively tough measures,” Lee said.
More than 52 percent of respondents believed the United States, Taiwan’s key ally and biggest arms provider, would send troops to help defend it against a Chinese invasion.
But only around 40 percent thought Washington would deploy its navy “to break” a Chinese blockade of Taiwan.
US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, said in a recent interview Washington “should not seek conflict” with China and declined to say whether Washington would use military force to support Taiwan if China were to attack.
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