[Survey Background]

Amid ongoing cross-Strait tensions and a rapidly changing information environment, how the public receives defense-related information, perceives the image of the armed forces, and understands key defense policies has become an important public issue. Since 2021, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) has conducted the “Taiwan National Defense and Security Public Opinion Survey” to systematically track changes in public attitudes toward national defense and security, providing foundational data for policy communication and academic research.

This survey was commissioned by INDSR and implemented by the Pollcracy Lab of the Election Study Center at National Chengchi University (NCCU) using an online questionnaire. Fieldwork was conducted from November 11 to November 28, 2025. A total of 26,039 invitations were sent, yielding 1,200 valid completed responses, for a completion rate of 4.61%.

[Summary of Latest Survey Findings]

1.High exposure to defense information, but limited sharing

 • Over 80% of respondents reported having recently seen or heard defense or military-related information, primarily through online news, social media, and television news. However, nearly 80% stated that they do not actively share such content.

2. Generally positive image of the military, with partisan differences

 • Sixty-seven percent (67%) of respondents held a “good” impression of the armed forces. Thirty percent (30%) felt the image had improved over the past year, 16% felt it had worsened, and the remainder saw no change— with notable differences across party identification groups.

3.Disaster relief most effective in improving public favorability

 • A majority (65.6%) said that “civil–military interaction during disaster relief” most effectively improves their impression of the military, followed by “greater transparency when handling controversies” (61.1%). Respondents valued real performance and openness more than displays of new equipment.

4.Han Kuang Exercise most widely recognized; other activities less visible

 • About 76.3% of respondents remembered the Han Kuang 41 / Urban Resilience Exercise. Overall, most citizens believed that defense-related activities were at least “somewhat helpful” in enhancing understanding or trust in the military.

5.Gaps in policy understanding remain

 •Policies closely linked to daily life (e.g., one-year compulsory service) were better understood, while equipment-related and conceptual policies tended to remain at the level of “heard of but not well understood.”

[Application Procedure]

To apply for access to this dataset, please complete the application form after reviewing the Data Release Guidelines and questionnaire items. Submit the form to indsrpoll@gmail.com. Upon approval, the data will be sent via email. Applicants must comply with INDSR’s Data Release Guidelines when using the data.