This marks the first time since the question concerning whether or not the United States sees Taiwan as important was included in the survey in April 2009 that the number of respondents answering in the affirmative has surpassed 50 percent. In April 2014, the last time the question was included in the Taiwan Mood Barometer Survey, a record low 40.9 percent of respondents said that the U.S. attaches importance to Taiwan. In the latest survey, 52.9 percent of respondents said either that they believe that the American government attaches great importance to Taiwan or that that the American government somewhat attaches importance to the country.  In contrast, 37.1 percent of respondents said that the United States does not attach importance to Taiwan--10 percent of those surveyed either had no opinion or declined to answer the question.