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Public concern is growing about China's increasing economic power, according to a new global poll conducted for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service.

The poll conducted by GlobeScan/PIPA among 28,619 people in 27 countries reveals that the numbers who say that China becoming more powerful economically is a bad thing have increased substantially across a number of China's key trading partners—and especially in G7 countries.

Compared to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service polling in 2005, negative views of China's growing economic power rose – and are now in the majority – in France (up from 31% to 53%), in Canada (up from 37% to 55%), in Germany (up from 44% to 53%), in Italy (up from 47% to 57%) and in the USA (up from 45% to 54%). Negative views also grew significantly in countries such as the United Kingdom (up from 34% to 41%), and Mexico (up from 18% to 43%).

Despite increasing unease in many countries, however, views of China's increased economic power remained positive on balance, with an average of 50% with a positive view of it and 33% with a negative view across all countries polled. The two nations with the most positive views of China’s economic growth were in Africa – Nigeria (82%) and Kenya (77%).

The poll results also suggest that worries about China's economic growth are related to perceptions that China's trade practices with other countries are unfair.

Overall, more than one-third of those polled (35%) rated China's trade practices as unfair, compared to 28% who rated US trade practices as unfair and just one in five (20%) who felt EU trade practices are unfair. Further, the proportions rating China's trade practices as unfair were substantially higher in the countries that have a negative view of China's economic growth, including Japan (70% saying China is unfair), France (59%), South Korea (58%), Germany (56%), Italy (51%), the USA (45%), the United Kingdom (44%), Mexico (41%), and Canada (39%). These countries are among China's largest trading partners.

China is also expected by many to overtake the USA in economic importance to their country over the next ten years. Asked to rate on a scale of 0 to 10 the importance of their economic relations with the USA, China, and the EU now, and in ten years' time, people on average give China a score of 6.85, but a score of 7.29 in ten years – more important than the USA and the EU.

Doug Miller, Chairman of GlobeScan, comments: "China's 'economic miracle' is more controversial today than it was in 2005. Ravaged by the Great Recession, citizens of G7 countries may be less certain how they will compete with China, now so large in their economic lives."

Steven Kull, Director of PIPA, said: "China may feel that it is only natural that it should seek advantages in its trading relations and a larger military footprint. But this poll suggests that a growing perception of China as acting unfairly is alienating some of its largest trading partners, while its military expansion is being watched by its neighbours with a wary eye."

Results are based on 28,619 in-home or telephone interviews conducted across a total of 27 countries by the international polling firm GlobeScan, together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland. GlobeScan coordinated fieldwork between 2 December 2010 and 4 February 2011

Notes to Editors

PDF of full results

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