Taiwan is a democratic nation that faces significant security challenges from China, which is also its largest trading partner and source of foreign direct investment. To address this delicate balance between security and economic considerations, Taiwan must carefully navigate its relations with China. China’s threat to Taiwan’s security is a serious concern, and it is unclear whether the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. These security concerns also have significant implications for Taiwan’s domestic politics, as the government and political parties must weigh the pros and cons of various approaches to handling relations with China.
Surveys can provide valuable insights into the views and attitudes of the Taiwanese public on matters related to security and can be used to monitor changes over time. To address this need, Dr. Emerson Niou led a workshop at Duke University in 2002, along with Tun-jen Cheng, John Hsieh, Tse-min Lin, T.Y. Wang, and Vincent Wei-cheng Wang, to create a survey to gauge Taiwanese public opinion on security issues. The first Taiwan National Security Studies (TNSS) survey was conducted in December 2002, with the most recent survey conducted in December 2022. The survey results are open to the academic community for research purposes.
Recent survey data
2022 | ZIP File | 2022.12.09-14 | n = 1501 | English Questionnaire
2020 | ZIP File | 2020.10.27-31 | n = 1110 | English Questionnaire
2019 | ZIP File | 2019.01.03-07 | n = 1120 | English Questionnaire
Recent publications using TNSS survey data
Lee, W. C. (Ed.). (2023). Protests, Pandemic, and Security Predicaments: Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and the US in the 2020s. Springer Nature.
Chong, J. I., Huang, D. W., & Wu, W. C. (2023). ‘Stand up like a Taiwanese!’: PRC coercion and public preferences for resistance. Japanese Journal of Political Science, 1-22.
Chen, I. T. Y. (2023). Trading for survival: trade policy as a credible signal, alliance strategy, and public preferences in Taiwan. Review of International Political Economy, 1-24.
Wang, A. H. E., Yeh, Y. Y., Wu, C. K., & Chen, F. Y. (2023). Why Does Taiwan Identity Decline?. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 00219096231168068.
Huang, D. W. F., & Wu, W. C. (2023). Taking Sides with the US Against China?—An Analysis of the Taiwanese Choice. In China-US Competition: Impact on Small and Middle Powers’ Strategic Choices (pp. 275-305). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Liu, W. (2023). The mundane politics of war in Taiwan: Psychological preparedness, civil defense, and permanent war. Security Dialogue, 09670106231194908.
Huang, D.W.F., Wu, WC. (2023). Taking Sides with the US Against China?—An Analysis of the Taiwanese Choice. In: Grano, S.A., Huang, D.W.F. (eds) China-US Competition. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15389-1_11
