Poll: Majority of Americans Support US Recognizing Taiwan’s Independence

Findings come days after Antony Blinken said ‘we do not support Taiwan independence’

A large majority of Americans say the United States should recognize democratic Taiwan as independent from Communist China, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday.

Sixty-four percent of likely voters told Rasmussen that “the United States should officially recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, separate from China.” Only 14 percent oppose U.S. recognition of Taiwan, while 22 percent are unsure.

The findings come only days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said official U.S. policy is that “we do not support Taiwan independence.”

“We remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo by either side,” Blinken said. The secretary did go on to say, however, that the United States supports “making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself.”

Blinken’s boss, President Joe Biden, has long been unclear on his administration’s Taiwan policy. He said in 2021 and 2022 that the United States would defend Taiwan if China invaded the island, violating the long-standing U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity.” The White House later walked back Biden’s remarks.

Republicans and foreign policy experts last week told the Washington Free Beacon that Blinken’s comments show the Biden administration’s weakness on Taiwan, potentially paving the way for a Chinese invasion. Pentagon war games have indicated that, if China does invade, “the United States is unprepared for a ‘horrifically bloody’ war” with the Communist country, the Free Beacon reported.