Taiwanese public favors ‘forever maintaining status quo’ with China

The alternatives are all nightmarish. Quick math

Considering that Taiwan has been de facto an independent country for a long time, its easy to see why "forever maintaining the status quo" is the best choice for most people.

Declaring independence from China when they are already functionally independent from China would just be kicking a hornet's nest. The outcome of a war with China would end in either a bloody defeat in which their country would be leveled and their freedoms taken away, or a bloody victory resulting in... the current status quo, just with lots of dead people.

So why would your average citizen desire anything but the status quo? They're already a free country, this question is just asking them if they'd like a war for the fun of it, or their freedoms taken away.

Well, if they don't go out and vote, it won't matter what they think.

Too late for this tho? The current government has permanently destabilised the status quo and are actively trying to start a fight with China. I don't think China will be keen on keeping the status quo.