A global survey has shown that China is viewed more positively by other nations, more favorably than the US.
The research conducted by Ipsos Global Advisor on 25 nations showed that other countries’ views of America have been dimming notably over the past year. The US has dropped to 15th place overall, with just 40 percent of respondents viewing the nation as having a “positive influence on world affairs today.”
A 24% drop in comparison to one year ago when the US was ranked seventh overall.
The results are from the summertime but were featured in a tweet Thursday by the World Economic Forum.
These countries have the most positive influence on the world https://t.co/xfMxF04NWO pic.twitter.com/lrSbIOhKHp
— World Economic Forum (@wef) September 28, 2017
Another survey by Pew Research Center and Gallup in April this year indicated that more people in the United States have favorable views of China. 44 percent of Americans had a favorable opinion of China, up from 37 percent a year ago describing the growth in positive ratings for China as partly due to declining concerns about economic threats from China.
“The share of the public that sees the amount of US debt held by Beijing, the loss of jobs to China and the trade deficit with China as very serious problems has dropped significantly in recent years,” the Pew survey said.
The survey also showed that Democrats and young people had more favorable views towards China. The Republicans view of China had also improved to 39 percent compared with 27 percent a year ago when then-presidential candidate Trump and other Republican contenders shouted negative rhetoric about China on the campaign trail.
Indicated in the survey also was that people in the US were more concerned about China’s economic strength than its military prowess.
“Since the most recent year Pew Research Center polled in 36 nations – 2014, 2015 or 2016, depending on the country – the number of nations in which the U.S. holds a competitive advantage in favorability over China has halved, from 25 to 12,” the survey added.
China receives mostly positive reviews in the sub-Saharan African nations polled, although South Africans are closely divided (45% favorable, 40% unfavorable).
The superpower’s own favorability has strengthened in recent years in Canada, Australia, Lebanon and Turkey.
In Spain, Mexico, Turkey, Australia, Peru and Senegal, the dynamic between the two superpowers has flipped, with China overtaking the U.S. in favorability.
