TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's millennial voters have delivered a devastating verdict on President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) handling of escalating U.S. trade tensions, new polling reveals Monday (Aug. 11). Approval among 30-39 year-olds has plummeted 16 percentage points since his first year anniversary inauguration, marking the steepest decline of any age group. The dramatic erosion coincides with U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of punishing 20% reciprocal tariffs on Taiwan.
The TVBS Poll Center (TVBS民調中心) survey, conducted Aug. 1-8 among 1,044 adults, found that only 20% of Taiwan's key working-age demographic now approve of Lai's performance. This represents the lowest approval rating of any age group and a dramatic decline that coincides with Trump's tariff announcement. The timing suggests a direct correlation between trade tensions and millennial political sentiment.
Trump announced the tariffs Aug. 1, with implementation beginning Aug. 7, precisely during the polling period that captured millennial disillusionment. The strategic timing created a natural experiment in real-time political sentiment measurement. Taiwan's economically anxious millennials witnessed their concerns about trade wars materialize into concrete policy during the survey window.
The generational divide reveals a politically fractured Taiwan along age lines. Voters over 60 maintain the highest approval rating at 36%, yet disapproval among the 30-39 age group surged to 61%, compared to just 45% among seniors. Middle-aged cohorts of 40-49 and 50-59 year-olds also registered punishing disapproval rates between 61-62%.
The timing suggests Taiwan's economically active millennials bear disproportionate anxiety about their professional futures amid trade uncertainty. This generation faces career advancement pressures while confronting potential economic disruption from escalating trade wars. Their heightened sensitivity to international developments reflects Taiwan's export-dependent economy, where global trade tensions directly impact job security and economic prospects.
The poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, surveyed respondents during evening hours as Trump's tariff announcement dominated headlines. Taiwan faces additional political uncertainty with recall votes for seven opposition Kuomintang (國民黨) legislators and a Nuclear Plant 3 (核三) referendum both scheduled for Aug. 23. These converging political events threaten to further destabilize public confidence in government leadership. ◼
