Progressive thinktank The Australia Institute polled people in Australia and Taiwan about China. The institute stated that the” “astounding” findings may be partly explained by some government figures in Canberra “beating the drums of war”.”
In Australia 603 people were polled and in Taiwan 606 people were polled. Here is a quick summary of the results (via The Guardian Australia):
- 42% of Australians polled believed that China would launch an armed attack on Australia at some point and with the Taiwanese polled 51% believed China would launch an armed attack on Taiwan;
Allan Behm, the head of the international and security affairs program at the Australia Institute told The Guardian Australia:
“Given Australia and Taiwan’s historical and geographical differences, it is astounding that Australians could be more fearful than Taiwan in anticipating an attack from China,”
“For the Taiwanese, potential war and its consequences remain very real while Australians – and those ‘beating the drums of war’ – may not fully comprehend what a war with China would entail.”
The Lowy Institute’s 2021 poll of Australian attitudes to the world, with more than 2,200 Australians surveyed in March, showed that more than 60 per cent of people recently surveyed saying they view the country as a security threat rather than an economic partner, and only 16 per cent saying they trust Beijing to act responsibly in the world.
What do you all think about these findings? Let us know your thoughts!
Image via ABC News