About two-thirds of Taiwanese do not identify themselves as Chinese, according to a survey released Tuesday.
The Pew Research Center, based in the United States, found that 66% considered themselves Taiwanese, 28% Taiwanese and Chinese and 4% Chinese only. The center said the results were consistent with other surveys showing that Taiwanese people are increasingly identifying themselves as Taiwanese.
China refuses to recognize the country's sovereignty, born out of a civil war in China that brought the Mao Zedong Communists to power on the mainland in 1949. Rival nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan, some 160 kilometers from China. East Coast.
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Taiwan has never declared independence, although it has its own Ministry of Foreign and Military Affairs. Meanwhile, China is constantly pressur ing Taiwan with the military exercises it is conducting around the island.
The survey found that about 60% of Taiwanese people have an unfavorable view of China. While 53% support closer economic ties with China, only 36% favor closer political ties.
79% support closer political ties with the United States, which severed official diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 to recognize Beijing as the Chinese government, but continue to sell fighter jets and other weapons to Taiwan .