Poll of Chinese suggests decoupling would be a ‘mistake’, researchers say
- Survey conducted by Canadian institute finds the public generally trusts most Western jurisdictions, apart from US and Japan
- Despite rising tensions there’s a ‘strong desire’ to directly engage with these powers, according to research team member
“The data … indicates that there are points of interaction supported by the Chinese public that can serve as a means of bridging potential disputes between China and Western jurisdictions,” the institute said in its report on the findings.
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For the survey, some 2,009 people across age groups and income levels in mainland China were asked to rate their perceptions of global powers – the US, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, India and the European Union – on a seven-point scale.
Overall, respondents saw Russia as China’s most trusted partner, with a score of 5.4, whereas Japan and the US were lowest at 2.6, and the remaining jurisdictions scored between 3.8 and 4.1.
However, when asked if they were in favour of China expanding economic relations, there was a marked increase in scores. While Russia remained highest at 5.6, the EU came in second at 5.0, while the remaining jurisdictions all scored between 4.0 and 4.8.
Respondents also gave higher scores when asked about expanding technology and research collaboration, as well as the importance of these countries to China’s future.