Only 8% Chinese Consider India as Favourable Country

Only 8% Chinese consider India as Favourable Country: Chinese Outlook on International Security – 2023

May 30

As per the latest survey carried out by the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), Tsinghua University of China, only 8% of their population consider India as a favourable country. The balance 41.5% were found to have a neutral stance and 50.5% consider India as unfavorable and a threat to China. According to the same survey, Russia is considered as most and the USA as least favourable by Chinese people.

Authenticity of Survey

Centre for International Security and Strategy (CISS) was founded at Tsinghua University in November 2018 by FU Ying, the former Vice Foreign Minister of China. She is also known for her terms as the ambassador to Philippines, Australia, and the United Kingdom. She currently serves as the chairperson of the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee. The same university is also the alma mater of Xi Jingping, President of People’s Republic of China.

Size of Survey

This online questionnaire-based survey randomly selected 2,661 samples out of the total survey. The breakdown included 1,331 male samples and 1,330 female samples. Out of these samples, 1,543 people aged from 18 to 44, 932 aged from 45 to 60 and a balance 186 samples were aged over 60. Over 80 percent of the respondents said that they know international security issues, and over 60 percent believe that international security has a very great’ or ‘somewhat great’ impact on themselves. Nearly 40 percent of the respondents regard the state-run media (Xinhua News Agency, CGTN,

People’s Daily and People.cn) as the main channel to obtain information on international security, followed by social media such as WeChat, Weibo, and official government websites or Apps.

Key Findings

Chinese people are highly concerned about international security issues. Almost 60% of the people in China feel that International Security related issues impact their lives and urban residents are more concerned about the impact of international security on individuals.

Chinese people are somewhat optimistic about general international security. Nearly 50

percent of the respondents believe that the world today is safer than what it was five years ago, and more than 50 percent have a positive outlook on international security in the next five years. Compared with other regions, people in South China have more optimistic view.

Chinese people remain somewhat optimistic about China’s international security environment. Nearly 40 percent of the respondents consider China’s international security environment as “safe”. Nearly 70 percent of the respondents think that China’s security situation has improved and will continue to do so in the next five years. Overall, people with higher education degrees usually find China’s international security

environment less secure. From the perspective of age, youngsters have a higher sense of security.

Younger respondents aged 18 to 44 have a more positive view of China’s international security environment, with 73 percent considering it ‘very safe’ or ‘somewhat safe’.

Chinese people are highly supportive of globalization and international cooperation. More than 80 percent of the respondents hold a positive attitude towards expanding foreign trade, foreigners

studying in China, engaging in work, business exchanges, participating in international scientific and technological research cooperation. Among the four measures mentioned above, the most controversial one

is whether to encourage Chinese students to study in European and American countries, with 16.95

percent indicating their basic disapproval, compared with more than 75 percent of the seconders. More people with higher education degrees favor Chinese students studying abroad in Europe and America and international scientific and technological research cooperation.

Pandemics, territory and relations between major countries are

Chinese people’s main concerns. Among the security threats and concerns to China, Global Pandemic is the biggest concern followed by intervention of International forces in Taiwan and conflicts between China and USA. The other concerns to people of China are ideological confrontation and creation of blocs, financial crisis, regional nuclear war, data flow security, climate change and trade segregation.

Chinese people have full confidence in China’s global influence. Nine out of ten Chinese people think that China’s global influence has increased as compared with what it was five years ago and regard China as the most influential actor in the world as compared to the USA, Russia, EU and even the United Nations.

Chinese people expect China’s diplomatic posture to be more

proactive. Around 78 percent of the respondents think that China’s

general posture on foreign strategies should be more proactive in the next decade, whereas other respondents hold ideas of being more stable and making progress while maintaining stability. More than 50 percent of them also believe that China has provided excessive foreign aid.

Chinese people are most concerned about impact caused by the United States and most favorable to Russia. The vast majority of the respondents believe that the US exerts the greatest impact on China’s security,

followed by Japan, Russia, EU and India. Chinese People are most favorable to Russia. Regarding the ongoing Russia – Ukrainian crisis, about 80 percent of the respondents believe the US and Western countries should be held most

accountable, while less than ten percent of them argue that Russia is mainly responsible.

Indian Context

On being surveyed about the impression of India, the respondent had a varied opinion. About 50 percent of respondents feel India to be somewhat or a very unfavorable nation. More than 40 percent of people maintained a neutral stance and only eight percent of respondents considered India to be a favourable country.

Analysis

Considering the authenticity and credibility of the survey, it’s evident that India is a force to reckon with for China.

Apart from South China Sea, India and its stance has a great impact on China. That is one of major reason to compare India in the pool of USA, Russia, Japan, South Korea and other major countries.

The stance taken by India is impactful and affects the overall policy of China.

India is actually the ‘Leader of Global South Countries’ and China can observe the impact at international forums.

The aggressive posture of India along its borders and in the Indian ocean is impactful and not going down well for China.

Conclusion

It’s evident that the Chinese consider USA as a major threat both in case of military interventions as well as economic affairs. Their Wolf Warrior Diplomacy seems to be taking a back seat and focus is likely to shift on maintaining a more stable relation with the outside world. The failure of ambitious projects like ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is well assessed by their public and foreign aid is not much appreciated. India has emerged as a major player in the region and looked upon as a leader of third world and it’s a matter of concern for existence and credibility of China in international forums.

References

Chinese Outlook on

International Security:

Public Opinion Polls – 2023