As Taiwan's election approaches, young voters' focus extends beyond China
Taiwan's young voters hold immense influence in the upcoming presidential election, with concerns beyond China's threats shaping their decisions at the polls Key issues encompass livelihood matters and the preservation of a distinct Taiwanese identity
Retired Taiwanese admiral Mr. Wu reflects on his long and proud service, sailing around the world on a guided-missile frigate. He led numerous Taiwanese naval officers on missions far from home, representing the Republic of China with great honor.
"I consider myself part of the Chinese civilization," said the navy veteran, requesting CNN to withhold his full name due to concerns about being targeted for his beliefs.
The question of identity and Taiwan's relationship with China has been a major political divide on the island, with surveys indicating a close correlation to voting patterns in past elections.
However, as the island democracy of 23.5 million people gears up to choose a new leader this Saturday, analysts suggest that identity may have a diminishing influence on the results.
Wus allegiance to his Chinese heritage represents the sentiments of older veterans who were raised during Taiwan's authoritarian period, as well as the older generations whose ancestors sought refuge in Taiwan following the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Nevertheless, research indicates that the younger generations predominantly identify themselves as Taiwanese exclusively.
Traditionally, political surveys revealed that individuals who exclusively identify as Taiwanese - not Chinese - tend to show greater support for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which aligns with pro-independence beliefs.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen meets the US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on April 5.
David Swanson/Reuters
China imposes sanctions on US organizations for allowing Taiwan's leader to stop over
The current DPP President, Tsai Ing-wen, has faced consistent warnings from Chinese officials since taking office eight years ago, and is unable to seek re-election due to term limits.
Many young voters who once backed Tsai in the previous presidential election are now shifting their support to a third-party candidate, former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan Peoples Party (TPP), which he established five years ago. Ko, positioning himself as a "pragmatic" option, is seen as less ideologically driven compared to the incumbent vice president William Lai of the DPP and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih of the KMT.
Lai has pledged to adhere to Tsai's policy roadmap and stressed that Taiwan is not under the control of Beijing. Hou has presented the election as a decision between "war and peace," asserting that only his party can mitigate the risk of conflict with China. China's Communist leaders assert Taiwan as part of their territory despite never having governed it and have threatened to forcefully "reunify" with the island if necessary.
In the meantime, Ko has stated that he will persist in strengthening deterrence while also pursuing regular dialogue with Beijing, although he has not outlined his approach to accomplishing this.
Supporters cheer at a campaign rally for Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je in Taichung on January 6, 2024.
I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images
Key issues for young people in this election
CNN recently spoke with twelve young Taiwanese individuals in their 20s and 30s representing various political viewpoints to gain insight into their voting preferences.
Despite the majority identifying as Taiwanese rather than Chinese, most of those interviewed told CNN that they did not consider China to be the top priority in this election, as they did not believe the current situation would see significant changes in the near future.
"According to Charles Shen, a 34-year-old civil servant from New Taipei city, neither independence nor unification is realistic, and our lives haven't improved, regardless of which side was in charge. Monica Cheng, a 28-year-old sports coach from the southern Tainan city, is tired of political rhetoric and arguments, traditionally a stronghold for the DPP."
"We have always identified as a country, and we are Taiwanese," she stated. "However, I do not see any distinction between the Republic of China and Taiwan, and I believe that any dispute on this issue only serves to deepen political divide."
Supporters listen to KMT presidential candidate, Hou Yu-ih, as he speaks at rally in Taichung, Taiwan, January 8, 2024.
Man Hei Leung/Anadolu/Getty Images
Several young Taiwanese voters expressed to CNN that they view the ongoing discussion about Taiwan's future as ideological, as they believe that the only viable option is to uphold the current status quo. This arrangement allows Taiwan to maintain its self-rule, while its ultimate status remains undecided. They highlighted that a formal declaration of independence would likely lead to war, and there is limited backing for transferring power to Beijing.
A 34-year-old engineer named Leon from Taoyuan city, who has recently worked for two years in mainland China, expressed the need for more attention to be given to cross-strait education. "I believe that resisting China has become more of a political slogan for the ruling party, and that many people in Taiwan have a limited understanding of China," commented Leon, who requested to be identified only by his first name due to potential future work in China.
"He added that instead of blindly opposing anything China-related, we should foster exchanges to help people from both sides understand our differences."
Taiwan's armed forces hold two days of routine drills to show combat readiness at a military base on January 11, 2023 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Annabelle Chih/Getty Images/File
China is set to impose sanctions on 5 US manufacturers for selling arms to Taiwan. After Tsai's election win in 2016, Beijing severed official communication with Taiwan's government and has since escalated economic, diplomatic, and military pressure on the island, hindering exchanges between the two sides.
According to Austin Wang, an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who focuses on Taiwanese politics, livelihood issues are becoming increasingly important in this election. Many Taiwanese believe that the election will not significantly alter Taipei's relationship with Beijing in the near future.
"In the view of many Taiwanese, there is no urgency to take a side because they believe that the status quo will remain unchanged," he explained. "Therefore, if the status quo is expected to persist, other pressing issues such as social justice and soaring housing prices can be considered."
Bread-and-butter issues
The majority of young voters interviewed by CNN highlighted concerns about their economic well-being, especially issues about stagnant wages and lack of public housing.
Taiwan's export-driven economy experienced a modest 1.61% expansion in 2023, marking its slowest growth in eight years. This was attributed to a decrease in global demand for its technology products, according to government statistics. Despite Taiwan's significant position in the semiconductor chip supply chain, the income of other workers has remained stagnant for the past two decades.
People use mobile phones in Taipei City, Taiwan, 27 July 2020. —
People use mobile phones in Taipei City, Taiwan, 27 July 2020.
Ceng Shou Yi/NURPHO/AP
Taiwan is combatting a surge of false information from China in preparation for an important election. The country's median monthly wage in 2022 was $1,386, significantly lower than that of other high-growth economies like South Korea ($1,919), Hong Kong ($2,444), and Singapore ($3,776), according to official statistics.
In Taiwan, public housing is not easily accessible. As of November 2023, public housing made up only 0.2% of all housing units in the country, which is much lower compared to other developed economies, as per data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
"I believe that housing justice will be a critical issue in the future," commented 22-year-old student Luo Chen-hsien from Chiayi city in southern Taiwan, who is a first-time voter. He expressed dissatisfaction with both major parties for being "too passive" in addressing the rising house prices.
Several young voters interviewed by CNN expressed confidence in Ko's ability to promote economic fairness, citing his understanding of the difficulties faced by the younger generation. However, some young voters questioned Ko's ability to tackle these fundamental issues, given that his new political party has no experience in managing the economy beyond the local level.
Johnny Huang, a 27-year-old financial adviser from Kinmen county who supports the opposition KMT, expressed his skepticism about how many campaign promises the party can truly accomplish. "Reform is more than just chanting slogans, and I prefer supporting a candidate who can bring steady changes to Taiwan," he said.
The cost of living and house prices are important issues for young voters in the 2024 presidential election.
Lam Yik Fei/Bloomberg/Getty Images
A Taiwanese identity
Still, an emphasis on domestic livelihood issues in this election does not mean Taiwans young generation is ignorant to the threat from Beijing.
Wang, the political scholar, said there is a clear consensus in Taiwanese society that unification with mainland China is simply not an acceptable option.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping speaks earlier this month at meeting of top Communist Party officials.
Li Xueren/Xinhua/Getty Images
Xi Jinping of China asserts that the reunification with Taiwan is unavoidable as a critical election approaches. The most recent survey by Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council in October 2023 revealed that over 60% of participants favored maintaining the current state indefinitely, with only 6.8% in support of immediate or eventual union with mainland China.
Young voters emphasized the significance of protecting Taiwan's hard-won democracy and demonstrating to the world that Taiwan is committed to preserving its freedoms and deserves support. Beijing's suppression of political freedoms in Hong Kong further heightened concerns that Taiwan's thriving democratic culture would not endure under China's Communist leadership.
Alice Yan, a 27-year-old lawyer supporting the ruling DPP, stated that annexing Taiwan has been a long-standing policy of the Chinese Communist Party, and it is not something any Taiwanese president will be able to alter. She emphasized the importance of demonstrating unwavering sovereignty to the world and expressed concern that electing a president who is too friendly to China may deter other countries from intervening in the event of an issue over the Taiwan Strait.
Carrie Wang, a 26-year-old student from Taipei, believes that voting decisions are mainly influenced by the issues that individuals prioritize. According to her, selecting a president who can effectively advance the country's position in the international arena is of utmost importance.
