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When it comes to a war with Taiwan, many Chinese urge caution
Even some ardent nationalists argue that fighting may never be necessary
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Even if China were to decide to go to war by next January, only 55 per cent of Chinese said that would be acceptable.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Economist
It takes little to spark fury among nationalist netizens in China, especially when the topic is Taiwan. Any action that could be viewed as a challenge to China’s claim to the island arouses a chorus of calls for war. Their voices alarm Western officials, who fret that Chinese policymakers may make concessions to their public’s swelling nationalism and the bellicosity it has spawned.
In 2022, China’s leader Xi Jinping hinted that the West may be right to worry. He warned United States President Joe Biden that, concerning Taiwan, the views of Chinese citizens “cannot be defied”.
