By Wu Ciaoxi | 2025-04-18

China's escalating military threats and cognitive warfare have created a complex spectrum of war perceptions in Taiwan as citizens constantly weigh their options while navigating anxiety, resolve and calls for peaceful unification.

Recently, Taiwan's former minister of culture, author Lung Ying-tai, wrote an op-ed in The New York Times, warning, "The clock is ticking for Taiwan." She argued for reconciliation with China and cautioned against Taiwan's "false sense of security" stemming from "relying entirely on the United States."

Lung cited an informal poll of Taiwanese college students, citing Ukraine's war, in which "Most [respondents] opted for surrender." Therefore, she urged President Lai Ching-te, to avoid "provocative labeling of China as an enemy."

Lung's remarks, seen by many as "a sugar-coated form of surrender," drew sharp criticism. Political scientist Chen Fang-yu challenged her on Facebook, asking her to "name one country that has managed to reconcile with a dictatorship and still maintain peace," and questioning why she did not simply advocate capitulation.

Lawyer Lin Chih-chun also wrote on Facebook, pointing out that reconciliation did not bring democracy to Hong Kong. Using a zebra-lion metaphor, he dismissed reconciliation with an authoritarian regime as a fatal power imbalance. "It's the zebra lying on the ground, the lion gnawing at it -- that's what ‘reconciliation' looks like," Lin said.

In an April 9 article in The Diplomat, scholars Wu Wen-chin and Pan Hsin-hsin rebutted Lung's piece, stressing that multiple credible surveys show more than half of young Taiwanese aged 18 and 30 are willing to fight for Taiwan. A poll in March showed 63.7% of Taiwanese would resist invasion "at all costs."

"China absolutely wants to invade Taiwan. I'm sure they'll strike eventually -- so we'll fight them. Who's afraid of whom?" said "Xiao Guo," a native of Taiwan whose father fled from China after the Communist victory, told Focus in an interview. He requested an alias.

Guo experienced China as an adult himself, working there for a decade.

He expressed concern about a "fifth column" susceptible to Chinese influence and "brainwashing."

On social-media platform Threads, a young user critical of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party recently claimed that under Chinese rule, "aside from less freedom of speech, everything else would be better." The post soon attracted 15,000 comments.

Although most of the comments were sarcastic or strongly opposed, the post still reflects how pro-unification narratives do resonate with certain groups.

One user likened denying the threat from China to denying the existence of the Harry Potter villain Voldemort by never saying his name.

That user's greatest stated concern was whether his children can grow up and grow old in freedom.

Escalating threats from Beijing

China recently has escalated its verbal and military intimidation of Taiwan, evidenced by recent Beijing airport displays featuring prominent red posters saying "Reunification" and "National reunification is just around the corner."

These People's Daily-sponsored advertisements, rapidly circulating online, have heightened anxieties about Beijing's strategic and psychological pressure. Many in Taiwan fear that a worsening domestic economic crisis could embolden China to launch a military offensive against the island.

"I'm not afraid of war -- I'm more afraid of China's overwhelming infiltration," Taipei-based counseling therapist Joan told Focus, highlighting a different facet of the threat.

Joan, who declined to give her full name, advocates a robust defense, emphasizing "fighting back openly and with integrity," citing campaigns to recall pro-China Taiwanese legislators as a crucial tactic.

Joan underscored the fundamental value disparity between Taiwan and China. "The Chinese people envy our freedom. Our very existence is the greatest provocation to China," she said.