Asia correspondent Kirsi Crowley found out what ordinary Taipei residents think about China’s threats and visits by American politicians.
Kirsi Crowley,
Mikko Leppänen
Taiwanese people know that China is threatening the island now more than usual. It worries them, but on the other hand, Taiwan is used to China’s threats.
This is how ‘s Asian correspondent sums up people’s thoughts Kirsi Crowleywhich is currently in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.
On Tuesday, China imposed visa bans and other sanctions on Taiwanese politicians to pressure the self-governing island.
On Monday, China announced that it would hold new military exercises near Taiwan.
China is enraged by the American senators’ visit to Taiwan yesterday. Earlier this month, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the island.
After Pelosi’s visit, China began the largest military exercises in its history off Taiwan.
Kirsi Crowley, how are China’s military exercises perceived in Taiwan?
– Today we talked with Taiwanese on the streets of Taipei. People are clearly worried. But at the same time, they find it hard to believe that China would actually attack.
It is also acknowledged here that China’s military power is much greater than Taiwan’s. But people trust that Taiwan has a powerful partner behind it.
What do Taiwanese people think about visits by US politicians?
– For the most part, the people I met were very satisfied that the United States seems to support Taiwan so openly.
However, some asked if now was necessarily the right moment when we live in such a sensitive time.
Many thought it important that the US, with its support, boosts Taiwan’s ability to show China that Taiwan itself can choose who are its partners and who visits it. That’s why Pelosi and others were welcomed.
Here it is believed that the US would support Taiwan in a tight spot.
What does Taiwan think about independence?
– Based on the speeches of the people we talked to on the streets, it seems that people would be satisfied if the current situation were allowed to continue.
In Taiwan, it has been studied how many people support independence, how many people support the current state of affairs, and how many people support reunification with China. Five percent support independence and a large percentage support reunification with China. The majority supports some degree of maintaining the status quo.
It seems that people feel safe that it won’t annoy anyone and that Taiwan can manage itself as it has so far. After all, China has never ruled Taiwan.
How do Taiwanese people see a situation where China would take over the island?
– People say that there is no way this could work. One man said that Taiwan’s future would be like Ukraine’s current situation. So very sad when people can’t live a normal life and they have to worry about their safety all the time.