Opinion | The China 'threat' smear is easing, survey finds

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

The Lowy Institute recently conducted a public opinion poll which serves many functions. It indicates how relations between China and Australia are changing or have changed over the years. It also reflects how China is better perceived by Australians; and, above all, it gives a clue as to how Australia and China must understand the dynamics and manage their respective behaviors if bilateral relations are to be safely guarded and significantly improved.

In America and Western countries, public opinion polls are taken seriously as their results indicate public support for or against their foreign policies and shape the future of the nation and people by giving leaders directions.

The following excerpt is an example of a public opinion poll conducted recently by Australia's Lowy Institute, offering reflections of "China threat", as a sensitizing concept.

Australian perceptions of China have improved significantly now that the government of Albanese is determined to normalize relations

Perceptions of China have improved in Australia, while more Australian are now against the purchase of nuclear-powered submarines through the AUKUS program, survey has shown.

The latest public opinion poll by the Lowy Institute revealed a slightly softer stance towards China among Australians compared with last year's findings amid improving bilateral relations.

-While feelings towards China remained lukewarm, fewer Australians surveyed – 52 per cent of the 2,077 Australians polled in March – saw China as a threat. This is an 11-point reduction from last year's 63 per cent.

-More Australians also saw China as an economic partner this year at 44 per cent, compared with 33 per cent last year.

Note 1: The relationship between the two countries nosedived in 2020 after Canberra pushed for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, raising Beijing's ire for being blamed for the pandemic.

Note 2: But friendlier diplomacy by the Anthony Albanese government has cooled tensions, restored some of the informal trade blocks imposed by China and increased ministerial contact between the two nations.

"There are signs in this survey that negative public opinion towards China may have bottomed out," said Ryan Neelam, director of Lowy Institute 's Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program.

"But much depends on what happens next. The ball is in Beijing's court after a campaign of economic coercion and diplomatic pressure that ultimately damaged China's own image in Australia," he concluded.

China's Image in Australia was severely damaged as it responded angrily to the Morrison administration's belligerent words and deeds

Despite the improvement in sentiments over the year, the same proportion of Australians surveyed – three-quarters – felt that China would be a potential military threat to Australia in the next 20 years.

The poll also revealed that fewer Australians, or 46 per cent polled, saw the AUKUS security tie-up with the United States and Britain – in which Australia would buy nuclear-powered submarines – as a means of making the Asia-Pacific region safer. Last year, that ratio was 48 per cent. The pact is widely viewed as a counter to China's ambitions in the region.

About 31 per cent surveyed were against buying nuclear-powered submarines as opposed to 28 per cent last year.

The AUKUS submarine deal which could cost taxpayers around A$368 billion was first announced in 2021 and finalized in March, although it (the fleet of eight submarines) will not be fully delivered until the 2050s.

The Lowy Institute said that while the poll revealed strong public support for the submarine agreement, Australians were now less clear about how the deal would affect regional security or whether it was value for money.

There has also been rising internal discontent within the ruling Labor party over the AUKUS in recent weeks.

Significantly, the poll showed most Australians continued to see the alliance between Australia and US as important, although that ratio fell five points to 82 per cent last year. This year, fewer Australians surveyed – 57 per cent – said they were in favor of allowing the US to base military forces in Australia. Last year, 63 per cent were in support.

The perception of Japan is on the rise: About 44 per cent named Japan as "Australia's best friend in Asia", followed by 16 per cent for India and 15 for Singapore.

The Lowy Institute said the number of Australians who selected India had more than doubled since last year. India is a member of the QUAD, another security alliance viewed as a means of checking China's ambitions in the region. The other members are Australia, Japan and the US.

Canberra and New Delhi's relations have strengthened following Albanese's visit to India in February and Modi's trip to Sydney last month. (Source: SCMP)

CONCLUSION

These statistical figures and updated information speak volumes about China-Australia relations now and in the future, helping experts, observers and national leaders to continuously monitor and effectively improve bilateral relations.

Specifically, what we can learn from this experience and derive knowledge will prove helpful as China is making its global footprints to this part of the Asia Pacific-region, which perceives a rising nation – with an ancient civilization – as "China threat" amid smears and smoke screens painted by prejudiced Western media.

In response, China may have to slow down its global pace militarily, stepping up cultural exchanges and English language developments, maximizing people-to-people contacts, as the Chinese president puts it.

China can tap its contingent of talents who had been studying overseas as teenagers; they understand both cultures and can take advantage of their English language proficiency.

Among this cohort, Ke Yu Jin – an economics professor at London School of Economics – speaks fluent English, telling "the China story", sharing China's technological breakthroughs with her audiences in countries such as America, Britain, and hopefully later in Australia. She presents a modern image of China.

Tapping top talents, China can wisely exercise soft power, put its best foot forward and help reduce the perceptions of "China threat", and to counter the ever-increasing pressures the US-led AUKUS and QUAD present.

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:

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