An Unwilling Convert? A Study on the Attitudes of Taiwan’s Political Party Youth Toward Cross-Strait Integration

Existing research has primarily examined Taiwanese attitudes toward the Chinese mainland and cross-Strait integration, typically categorizing these attitudes into four types: bandwagoning, hedging, balancing, and isolationism. Furthermore, most studies focusing on Taiwanese youth examine individuals who work or study in the Chinese mainland, while relatively overlooking the crucial role of Taiwanese political party youth in shaping attitudes toward cross-Strait integration. These political party youths carry the innovative potential for enhancing cross-Strait exchange mechanisms; their views not only reflect the broader cognitive trends among Taiwanese youth but also influence the practical adjustments of Taiwanese political parties toward Chinese mainland policies. In light of these gaps, the present study conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with Taiwanese political party youth and employed grounded theory to reveal their attitudes toward cross-Strait integration and the complex underlying motivations. The research findings indicate that when faced with opportunities for integration with the Chinese mainland, these youths, influenced by both affective orientation and practical experiences, exhibit complex and contradictory attitudes characterized by three major contradictions: the cognitive-level contradiction of cross-strait perspectives, the behavioral-level contradiction between socialization processes and practical actions, and the political contradiction between individual willpower and practical realities.