The Pew Research Center’s latest survey of residents in 24 countries found that substantial majorities of them expressed a range of hostile views toward China, particularly regarding the conduct of its foreign affairs.
Majorities in these countries believe that China meddles in the domestic affairs of other nations and does not contribute to the promotion of geopolitical peace and stability, and they reject the notion that China takes into account the interests of other countries.
China’s diminished reputation isn’t a new phenomenon. As Pew had previously shown, the globe soured on Beijing after the onset of the pandemic. Given the still-murky origins of the virus that crippled the global economy, killed millions, and stole years from the lives of its survivors, that makes sense. Indeed, the pollster’s research suggests that negative views of China are closely tied to how individuals perceive the role it played during the pandemic:
Those who think China has done a bad job dealing with COVID-19 are much more likely to have an unfavorable view of the country — and the difference is at least 20 percentage points in every country surveyed. For example, in Italy, those who say China has done a bad job handling the coronavirus pandemic are twice as likely to report an unfavorable view of China — 82% vs. 41%, respectively.
This is a tool that Western policy-makers must wield. As an instrument of soft power designed to isolate China, reminding the world of the costs a nation that cozies up to Beijing must bear could prove particularly valuable.