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# But what about China?
- URL: https://www.taiwanquest.com/but-what-about-china/
- Published: 2023-04-11T14:45:03.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-10T09:07:57.000Z
- Description: The Chinese military’s been simulating an attack on Taiwan, but here on the ground, life goes on…
- Author: Zhen-Kang

In mid-2022, when I started actively considering a move to Taiwan, the first question from family and friends was always “But what about China?”

It’s a fair question: China’s president has ordered its military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027\. And this past week—for the second time in a year—[China brandished military options in exercises around the island](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/world/asia/china-military-exercises-taiwan.html).

But here on the ground, life goes on. In my city of Kaohsiung—home to Taiwan’s navy fleet headquarters and its naval academy—nothing has changed.

In fact, [the Taiwan News homepage](https://taiwannews.com.tw/) gave China’s simulated attack equal billing with inconsequential stories like *Top DJ Armin Van Buuren lauds Taiwanese as ‘very educated’*:

![Screenshot of Taiwan News homepage from 11 April 2023.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5e/e3/5ee3f160-68a0-49ef-af6f-ec70abc1d13e/content/images/2023/04/taiwan-news-screenshot-2.jpg)

Top DJ Armin Van Buuren lauds Taiwanese as ‘very educated’.

When I’ve discussed the China situation with local friends, common responses include:

- Taiwan’s compulsory military service isn’t too bad. If anything, it’s a little boring but the people are nice.
- China will always make waves (it is what it is; people ignore it).
- It’s a high-level issue for the politicians.
- I should be more concerned about earthquakes. And what delicious street food we’re having for dinner.

So, although I’m living in a geopolitically-complicated region, here on the ground no one gives it a second thought.

(Then again… [there has been a jump in sales of air force badges that show a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh…](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/11/taiwan-jump-in-sales-for-air-force-badges-showing-bear-punching-winnie-the-pooh))

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