As Taiwan races to counter China, most people aren’t worried about war

Taiwanese desensitized to China's military threats; many attracted to its economy, language, culture; polls indicate most reject reunification; many feel connection to China without considering themselves Chinese; many favor status quo, but with eventual independence; people friendly to each other despite tensions between governments.

As People's Liberation Army fighter jets from China sped toward Taiwan on Friday, life on the self-governing island carried on as normal.

Andy Huang, a restaurateur in Taipei, said he has become desensitized to military threats from the mainland.

“I've been hearing about China invading for 30 years,” he said.

Taiwan's government is racing to counter China, buying nearly $19 billion in military equipment from the United States, and extending military conscription for men to a year starting in 2024. But many on the island say they don't feel the threat.

That may be partly due to the nuanced views many Taiwanese hold of China. While polls indicate most people on the island reject reunification, many say they are attracted to their much larger neighbour's dynamic economy, and its shared language and culture. Others are simply numb to hearing about the threat in their backyard.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory, and its actions in recent years have led some to fear it is preparing to use force to try to take control of the island. Taiwan has been compared to Ukraine by American lawmakers and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

The island's politicians have not been shy about sounding the alarm. “In order to keep the peace, we need to strengthen ourselves,” Ms. Tsai said last month at a war memorial commemorating the last time Taiwan and China battled.