When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Public Opinion
The Perception Problem: Why Central Asians Remain Skeptical of Chinese Investment
Over the past decade, China has poured billions into the Central Asian countries, financing infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture, and digital technologies, while presenting itself as a reliable development partner. Central Asian governments, eager for investment and diversification, have embraced China as a strategic ally in trade and ...
Poll: China Makes “Startling” Gains as the World’s Preferred “Leading Power”
Favorable views of the United States have fallen sharply over the past year while perceptions of China have improved significantly, according to the findings of a new poll that surveyed 32,000 people in 32 countries. The survey was conducted for The ...
Zambian Perceptions of China Rebound After Ten-Year Decline, Says Afrobarometer
Public opinion of China among Zambians rebounded for the first time last year after a decade of steadily falling, according to the findings of Afrobarometer's latest survey. While Zambians were more upbeat about China when asked in relation to other countries ...
Pew Survey: Global South More Concerned About U.S. Than China
A new Pew Research Center survey reveals a surprising shift: in many Global South middle-income countries, people are more concerned about U.S. influence than China’s.
China Tops Favorability Rankings in Africa, Outpacing U.S. and EU, New Survey Shows
China is viewed more positively than any other global or regional power in Africa, according to a new survey conducted across 29 countries by Afrobarometer, the continent’s leading public opinion measurement agency. The findings, released this week, show that 60 percent ...
Low Expectations in Beijing of Trump’s Second Coming
By Matthew Walsh Chinese people on the streets of Beijing said Monday they were keeping expectations low about Donald Trump, as his second White House stint could push China-U.S. ties into a new era of uncertainty.
New Polling Shows Shifting World Ahead of Trump Inauguration
Interesting North/South splits are emerging ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. President on Monday. New polling data from the European Council on Foreign Relations shows that while key Global South publics like Saudi Arabia and India think Trump’s return will benefit both their own countries and the ...
Why Views About China Are So Different in the Global North and South
China is deeply unpopular in the U.S., UK, Japan, and most other wealthy countries, and given the politics in those regions, there's no indication that's going to change anytime soon. It's a very different story, though, in large parts of developing ...
Survey Shows Dramatic Shift in Malaysia-China Relations: Public Opinion Hits New Highs
Public opinion in Malaysia towards China is reaching new heights, with a recent survey by the Merdeka Center, an independent Malaysian public opinion research agency, showing a dramatic rise in favorable views. Nearly two-thirds of Malaysians now have a positive ...
Perceptions of the U.S. in the Arab World Plunge, While China’s Improve Dramatically, According to New Poll
The United States' near-unconditional support of Israel in the ongoing Gaza war has done immense damage to Washington's standing among Arab publics in 16 countries surveyed by the Arab Barometer research network. Declining public approval of the U.S. is leading to ...
Across 34 Countries, Nearly Half Disapprove of Biden’s China Policy, According to New Poll
U.S. President Joe Biden's China policy is getting mixed reviews from people surveyed in 34 countries by the Pew Research Center. Residents in Kenya and Nigeria were most favorable, with 56% and 54% approval ratings respectively. But Washington's tougher engagement strategy ...
Analysts Reflect on the Impact of the Recent China-Arab Forum and Future of China’s Mideast Role
It's been two weeks since Arab leaders gathered in Beijing for the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and analysts who closely follow Chinese foreign policy in the Mideast have had a chance to digest the outcomes of this year's gathering. Jonathan Fulton, a ...