Japanese are more likely to view China as a major threat than Taiwanese, although both sides agree that Beijing’s power and influence are the most concerning geopolitical hazard, a Pew Research Center poll showed on Tuesday.
From June 2 to Sept. 17, Pew researchers polled respondents in Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong on perceived threats posed by China, the US, Russia and North Korea.
China’s power and influence was considered the greatest threat above North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, or US or Russian influence, the report said.
Japanese respondents showed the most concern over China, with 76 percent calling it a “major threat” compared with 66 percent in Taiwan and 64 percent in South Korea, it said.
In Hong Kong the rate was 48 percent, with 29 percent not considering Chinese influence a threat, it said.
This year’s figure among Japanese is comparable to the 74 percent recorded during tensions in waters west of Japan in 2013, Pew said, but added that respondents in South Korea were less skeptical of China than they were a decade ago, when 76 percent said its influence posed a major threat.
Views of China’s threat level in Taiwan correlated with age and party affiliation, researchers said.
People younger than 35 in Taiwan and Hong Kong were more likely to say China as a major threat, the report said.
Supporters of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were also more likely to think so at 78 percent than Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters at 59 percent, it said.
Japanese and South Korea respondents named North Korea’s nuclear weapons program as a major threat at rates of 73 and 65 percent respectively, while the figure was only 33 percent in Taiwan, it added.
In Japan, 71 percent of respondents named Russian influence as a major threat, while the figure was under half in the other regions, it said.
Only Japan had a majority who considered US power and influence to be a major threat at 53 percent, compared with 45 percent in Taiwan and South Korea, and 37 percent in Hong Kong, although 40 percent of Hong Kong respondents considered it a “minor threat,” the poll showed.
KMT supporters were more likely to view the US as a major threat at 63 percent, compared with 34 percent of DPP supporters, the report said.
WAITING GAME: The US has so far only offered a ‘best rate tariff,’ which officials assume is about 15 percent, the same as Japan, a person familiar with the matter said Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today. The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said. A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
Taiwanese exports to the US are to be subject to a 20 percent tariff starting on Thursday next week, according to an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump yesterday. The 20 percent levy was the same as the tariffs imposed on Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by Trump. It was higher than the tariffs imposed on Japan, South Korea and the EU (15 percent), as well as those on the Philippines (19 percent). A Taiwan official with knowledge of the matter said it is a "phased" tariff rate, and negotiations would continue. "Once negotiations conclude, Taiwan will obtain a better
FLOOD RECOVERY: “Post-Typhoon Danas reconstruction special act” is expected to be approved on Thursday, the premier said, adding the flood control in affected areas would be prioritized About 200cm of rainfall fell in parts of southern Taiwan from Monday last week to 9am yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Kaohsiung’s Taoyuan District (桃源) saw total rainfall of 2,205mm, while Pingtung County’s Sandimen Township (三地門) had 2,060.5mm and Tainan’s Nanhua District (南化) 1,833mm, according to CWA data. Meanwhile, Alishan (阿里山) in Chiayi County saw 1,688mm of accumulated rain and Yunlin County’s Caoling (草嶺) had 1,025mm. The Pingtung County Government said that 831 local residents have been pre-emptively evacuated from mountainous areas. A total of 576 are staying with relatives in low-lying areas, while the other 255 are in shelters. CWA forecaster