Americans Have Increasingly Negative Perceptions on China, Says Pew

New York, NY, March 15, 2021-A series of recent U.S. public opinion polls show some of the frostiest views ever toward China and indicate growing support for the Biden administration to take tougher stands aimed at influencing Beijing’s behavior, reports the Wall Street Journal.

“The polls suggest political rhetoric and negative headlines about China are adding to a rise in negative perceptions about the country, which increasingly focus on human-rights concerns.

“Nine of 10 Americans view China as a competitor or enemy and nearly half believe the U.S. should seek to limit China’s power, according to a Pew Research Center poll published on Thursday.

“A Gallup poll, also released this week, put China’s unfavorable view among Americans at 79%, by far the worst reading since its polling began in 1979. Only Iran and North Korea scored worse.

“The catalog of issues facing President Biden as he develops his China strategy is extensive-but only 53% of Americans have confidence that he will be able to execute it effectively, according to the Pew survey. That contrasts with the 60% who told Pew they expect positive results from the newly elected U.S. president in world affairs in general, like improving relations with allies.

In part, doubts about Mr. Biden’s chances of success reflect deep distrust of Chinese President Xi Jinping, with only 15% in the U.S. confident he would do the right thing regarding global affairs, according to Pew.

“The view in China is that American public opinion of the country has been hurt by the Trump administration’s efforts to ‘damage U.S.-China relations and demonize China’ during its final year in office, as well as deeply critical American press coverage of government actions in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, according to Wu Xinbo, a U.S. affairs specialist at Shanghai’s Fudan University.

“‘It is shaped by the political leaders, their statements,’ he said. ‘It is shaped by the media coverage.’”

Twenty-five percent of all flooring sold in the U.S. is made in China, according to Market Insights.