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A new research study by Pew Research Center has found that nearly half of China’s respondents in the survey concluded that the United States was their top threat for security.
What The Research Study Stated
Overall, the reviews of the United States from Chinese’s respondents was mixed. Half did give the United States a favorable rating, while 44 percent offered a negative view of the U.S. However, 52 percent did agree that the United States is trying to prevent their country from becoming an equal power in the world, and 29 percent stated that they thought the U.S. was willing to accept their country’s rise in global power.
The Chinese public did name the U.S. power as the top threat facing their country. Just under half (about 45 percent) stated that the United States was a significant risk. This was the highest percentage found among the seven other potential threats Pew Research Center had tested.
In fact, China’s respondents found the U.S. to be more of a threat than they did ISIS, Russia, cyberattacks, refugees, and even global climate concerns.
It should also be noted that 38 percent said that the U.S. was a minor threat to their country, while 10 percent did not perceive the U.S. as a threat at all.
According to The Hill, in spring of 2013, 39 percent of people in the same survey thought the U.S. was a significant threat.
This is not surprising because the U.S. and China have consistently clashed on a variety of global security issues over the past decade. China has already begun building up their holds on artificial islands, taken credit for cyber hacks, and increased tension worldwide.
Age and the education of the 3,154 respondents did play a role in how the U.S. was perceived as a threat, states UPI. The younger and more educated the respondents, the more favorable they saw the U.S. While, the less educated seems to find the United States a threat.
Less than half of the respondents also stated that they support military engagement in terrorism overseas, and 22 percent said that China should assist other countries.
This Year’s Presidential Debate
In addition to reviewing China’s thoughts on the United States, Pew Research Center also asked those same respondents about their thoughts on the U.S. presidential election for 2016. Respondents gave an edge to the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. According to the study, 37 percent had more confidence in her when it came to global affairs. There was also 35 percent that stated they had no faith in the Democratic nominee.
When it came to Republican nominee Trump, 22 percent said that they had confidence in him for how he could handle global affairs, while 40 percent had none or too little confidence in him.
Overall, the study surveyed a large group of Chinese residents, with a margin of error reported at 3.7 percentage points. The study did provide insight as to how citizens of China perceive the United States, as well as their views on other global matters.
