China's image has grown negative: Study

NEW YORK: The overall image of China has grown negative especially in western Europe and India, a new survey has shown.

While China's image is generally positive in Asia, it has grown somewhat more negative in India and much more negative in Japan, where unfavourable opinions of China now outnumber positive ones by more than two-to-one (67 per cent-29 per cent), the survey by Pew finds.

Opinion of China's growing economic power is decidedly negative in Western Europe, where nearly two-thirds of Italians and the French believe this trend is bad for their country.

Only in Sweden is there a positive view of this development. The polling also finds concern about China's economic clout in India, Mexico, Czech Republic and South Korea.

In sharp contrast, people in the African nations surveyed give thumbs up to China's economic power. Majorities or pluralities in the 10 African countries surveyed believe that China has at least a fair amount of influence on their countries.

Most people in the African countries surveyed also say that the US has considerable influence; however, US influence is rivalled or exceeded by China's in a number of African countries, including Mali and Ivory Coast.

Similarly, many people in Latin America believe that China is having an important influence on their countries.

In general, Africans are more positive than Latin Americans about the growing influence of both China and the US on their countries.