Pew survey finds most suspect US of seeking to keep China from reaching an equal level of power – but majority of young people see US positively

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Chinese people believe the United States is the “top threat” facing their country, a new poll shows, with most suspecting the world’s number one economy of trying to “prevent China from becoming an equal power”.

A survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center revealed 45% of Chinese people consider US power and influence to be a “major threat” – more than economic instability (35%), climate change (34%) and Islamic State (15%).

However, half of the 3,154 respondents in the survey had a “favourable opinion” of the US – including 60% of those aged between 18 and 34.

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The news comes as Beijing and Washington are at loggerheads over China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, with the US urging China to adhere to the rule of law and Beijing accusing the Americans of interference.

The vast majority of Chinese people (75%) believe their own country plays “a more important role in world affairs” than a decade ago, compared with only 21% of Americans, 23% of Europeans and 68% of Indians.

However, this confidence in China’s international stature contrasts with a growing sense of unease among many, the survey showed, with about three-quarters of respondents saying their “way of life needs to be protected against foreign influence” – up from 64% in 2002.

Despite China’s increasing diplomatic influence, 56% of Chinese people said they wanted their leaders to focus on the country’s own challenges, such as official corruption, which most said was a problem.

Growing inequality is also a concern, with 37% describing the gap between rich and poor as a “very big problem”.

Other worries include: food safety (74%), the country’s choking air pollution (70%) and rising prices (74%), as many Chinese people struggle to get a foothold in the real estate market.