As election nears in Taiwan, many young voters say China isn’t their biggest concern

Taipei CNN —

As retired Taiwanese admiral Mr. Wu looks back on his old days, he couldn’t be prouder of his decades-long service sailing around the world on a guided-missile frigate.

He once led hundreds of Taiwanese naval officers on missions thousands of miles away from home and felt a sense of honor to be representing his home nation – the Republic of China, the official name of Taiwan’s government.

“I believe I am a member of the Chinese civilization,” the navy veteran said, asking CNN not to use his full name for fears of being targeted for his views.

The issue of identity – and Taiwan’s relationship with China – has been one of the most significant political divisions on the island, and surveys show it was closely linked to voting patterns in previous elections.

But as the island democracy of 23.5 million people prepares to elect a new leader this Saturday, experts say identity could be playing less of a role in the outcome.

Wu’s loyalty to his Chinese heritage is typical of older veterans, who grew up under Taiwan’s authoritarian era, and many older generations whose families fled to Taiwan at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. But studies show younger generations now overwhelmingly identify as only Taiwanese.

Taiwan faces a flood of disinformation from China ahead of crucial election. CNN's Will Ripley reports on Beijing's campaign to elevate pro-China candidates and the efforts to combat it." data-duration=«03:38» data-source-html=" — Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{«big»: { «uri»: «https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/231216141224-ripley-taiwan-factcheck-center.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill» }, «small»: { «uri»: