Australians are highly divided over whether to take part in any military action to defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion, despite record-high levels of support for the U.S. alliance and growing concern over Beijing's global goals.
Despite very low levels of confidence in the Chinese government in the most recent Lowy Institute Poll, a survey evaluating Australian opinions toward important foreign policy topics and challenges, there is apprehension about getting involved in a fight.
Only a narrow majority of Australians support military intervention in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, according to a new poll issued on Tuesday by the Lowy Institute, a foreign policy research group.
A little over half of respondents surveyed were in support of Australia employing its military to defend Taiwan, while 47% were opposed.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Australians' attitudes of China have deteriorated considerably, with only 12% of those surveyed expressing confidence in Beijing's ability to act responsibly in international affairs.
In 2018, 52% of Australians reported having faith in China.
In recent years, attitudes on international conflicts and the potential for one in the region have also altered dramatically.
According to Lowy, only 53% of Australians reported feeling safe in the face of global events, a decrease from 92% in 2010.
In 2018, 46% of Australians believed China will pose a military threat to their country over the next two decades.
In 2019, 75% of Australians believe China would pose a military threat within the next two decades, the highest percentage on record.
Based on her analysis, Natasha Kassam, director of the Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program at the Lowy Institute, said the study revealed that Australians are "feeling extremely scared and very anxious about what is occurring in the region."
She told Bloomberg TV, "You can see that Australians are trying to negotiate this fear of China and this fear of Russia, while still wanting to preserve the peace and security we have and not being drawn into another endless war."
According to Lowy, support for the U.S. alliance is at an all-time high, with 87% stating that the American military is vital to Australia's security.
However, Australians' faith in the U.S. has yet to recover from dips during former President Donald Trump's term.
Around 65% of individuals asked said they had faith in the U.S. to act ethically in international affairs, placing it below the United Kingdom, Japan, and France and down from 83% in 2011.
