Survey finds historically high negative views of China
By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug, contributing writer
A new survey of people in 24 countries has found that 67% hold unfavorable views of China, suggesting negative opinions of Beijing continue to stand at or near historic highs.
In the survey released late last week by the Pew Research Center, only about 28% of respondents had a favorable opinion of China despite Beijing’s diplomatic initiatives over the past year, including brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The survey of more than 27,000 adults in North America, South America, Western Europe, the Asia-Pacific and Africa from February to May found that negative views of China have remained high over recent years in almost every high-income country surveyed. Middle-income countries have taken a generally positive view of China, with the exception of India.
Japan, which was tied with Australia at 87%, topped the list of countries that have the most unfavorable view of China. In the U.S., some 83% of respondents voiced a negative view, while India saw 67% take an unfavorable view of their powerhouse neighbor.
Unfavorable views in Japan and Australia have been largely due to concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness, including around self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. Views in India, meanwhile, have grown sour after the two Asian giants sparred over their disputed border.
In comparison, only a quarter of adults in Southeast Asian powerhouse Indonesia have negative evaluations of China, while under a quarter in Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country — and Kenya rated the country unfavorably.
More than half of respondents in the 24 countries said they believe that China interferes in other nations' affairs, while 76% said that they think Beijing does not take into account other countries' interests in its foreign policy.
In Canada, France, Israel, Spain and Sweden, more than half or more of those surveyed said they think China does not consider other nations’ interests at all. Only half in the three African countries and Indonesia said they feel that China listens to their voices.
“This is a question we last asked in 2013 – a decade ago – in some countries,” said Laura Silver, Pew’s associate director of research. “Over the past decade, China’s international role has shifted dramatically and its bilateral interactions with many of these countries has likely changed substantially.”
A median of more than 70% in the countries surveyed also said they think China does “little or nothing at all” to contribute to global peace and stability. This compared with 23% that said Beijing is doing “a great deal or a fair amount.”
Around 7 in 10 people in Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Spain and the U.S. see China as an interventionist power, with many citing Chinese involvement in domestic politics in their country as a serious problem in a similar survey last year.
Across North America, Western Europe and much of the Asia-Pacific region, majorities of those surveyed said they have no confidence in Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa were the only countries where a majority had confidence in his leadership.
China’s soft power, meanwhile, garnered mixed views among middle- and high-income countries. A majority of countries rated the country’s military and technological advances highly, but its entertainment industry, universities and standard of living mostly appealed to middle-income countries.
“We found that in most of the eight middle-income countries surveyed, at least half say investment from China has benefited their country’s economy,” Silver said.
All 24 countries except for South Korea had positive views about Chinese technological achievements, with 69% describing them as the best or above average relative to other nations. More than half, 54%, see China’s military as among the best in the world.
China’s image as an economic power is stronger in high-income countries than middle-income countries despite majority negative views in the former.
Still, more people named the U.S. as the top global economic power.
There are several factors to consider why this could be, including the severe shocks to the economy due to the pandemic and high inflation that followed it.
“While it’s hard to say whether global publics simply are seeing the U.S. as stronger or China as weaker, we do see that there has been a fair bit of movement over the past few years in terms of which country is perceived as stronger,” Silver said.
In the survey released late last week by the Pew Research Center, only about 28% of respondents had a favorable opinion of China despite Beijing’s diplomatic initiatives over the past year, including brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The survey of more than 27,000 adults in North America, South America, Western Europe, the Asia-Pacific and Africa from February to May found that negative views of China have remained high over recent years in almost every high-income country surveyed. Middle-income countries have taken a generally positive view of China, with the exception of India.
Japan, which was tied with Australia at 87%, topped the list of countries that have the most unfavorable view of China. In the U.S., some 83% of respondents voiced a negative view, while India saw 67% take an unfavorable view of their powerhouse neighbor.
Unfavorable views in Japan and Australia have been largely due to concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness, including around self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. Views in India, meanwhile, have grown sour after the two Asian giants sparred over their disputed border.
In comparison, only a quarter of adults in Southeast Asian powerhouse Indonesia have negative evaluations of China, while under a quarter in Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country — and Kenya rated the country unfavorably.
More than half of respondents in the 24 countries said they believe that China interferes in other nations' affairs, while 76% said that they think Beijing does not take into account other countries' interests in its foreign policy.
In Canada, France, Israel, Spain and Sweden, more than half or more of those surveyed said they think China does not consider other nations’ interests at all. Only half in the three African countries and Indonesia said they feel that China listens to their voices.
“This is a question we last asked in 2013 – a decade ago – in some countries,” said Laura Silver, Pew’s associate director of research. “Over the past decade, China’s international role has shifted dramatically and its bilateral interactions with many of these countries has likely changed substantially.”
A median of more than 70% in the countries surveyed also said they think China does “little or nothing at all” to contribute to global peace and stability. This compared with 23% that said Beijing is doing “a great deal or a fair amount.”
Around 7 in 10 people in Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Spain and the U.S. see China as an interventionist power, with many citing Chinese involvement in domestic politics in their country as a serious problem in a similar survey last year.
Across North America, Western Europe and much of the Asia-Pacific region, majorities of those surveyed said they have no confidence in Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa were the only countries where a majority had confidence in his leadership.
China’s soft power, meanwhile, garnered mixed views among middle- and high-income countries. A majority of countries rated the country’s military and technological advances highly, but its entertainment industry, universities and standard of living mostly appealed to middle-income countries.
“We found that in most of the eight middle-income countries surveyed, at least half say investment from China has benefited their country’s economy,” Silver said.
All 24 countries except for South Korea had positive views about Chinese technological achievements, with 69% describing them as the best or above average relative to other nations. More than half, 54%, see China’s military as among the best in the world.
China’s image as an economic power is stronger in high-income countries than middle-income countries despite majority negative views in the former.
Still, more people named the U.S. as the top global economic power.
There are several factors to consider why this could be, including the severe shocks to the economy due to the pandemic and high inflation that followed it.
“While it’s hard to say whether global publics simply are seeing the U.S. as stronger or China as weaker, we do see that there has been a fair bit of movement over the past few years in terms of which country is perceived as stronger,” Silver said.