P(h)ew

A report I read today in the Straits Times (13 June 2008), entitled "Global Anti-China sentiment on the rise: Poll", that China's popularity around the world was in the decline due to unsafe products, military prowess and economic power, according to the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

Is this another attempt to slime China, more than it deserves to be slimed? Everything that KM said in his book seems to be playing out in this article. Firstly, the actual Pew report talks mainly about the US and its image problems, not just about China. Second, the international feeling that China was not repecting human rights at home could be due to the fact that the survey was conducted from March 17 - April 21, just during the time China was cracking down on the Tibetans' political dissent. Third, the "international" community might not be so international. By the article's own admittance,

"...One the other hand, majorities in France, Germany, South Korea and the United States saw China's economic power as a bad thing..." but

"Majorities of those polled in Pakistan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Jordan, Australia and Brazil as well as Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria said China's economy had a positive effect on their countries."

... which means it could be mainly the West which has problems with China's growing power.

And fourth, the article is by Agence France-Presse. Go figure.