Less than a third of Canadians view China favourably, poll shows, while half oppose 5G role for Huawei

University of British Columbia survey found fears about China’s domestic impact in Canada increasing, especially over cyberattacks and espionage

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been frozen since Canadian police detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on US warrant

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Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou carries an umbrella as she leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver in October. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

Published: 5:22am, 5 Nov 2019Updated: 5:21am, 5 Nov 2019

Only 29 per cent of Canadians view China favourably and more than half worry about possible Chinese cyberattacks, according to a poll released on Monday, at a time when the two nations remain locked in a diplomatic dispute.

The University of British Columbia survey also found half of Canadians did not want Huawei Technologies to play a major role supplying next-generation 5G network equipment.

Relations between Beijing and Ottawa have been frozen since Canadian police detained Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou last December on a US arrest warrant.

“The chill is real,” concluded the survey. China is now viewed favourably by 29 per cent of Canadians, down from 36 per cent two years ago but up from 22 per cent in February, it concluded.

That said, respondents wanted commercial exchanges with China to continue, with 62 per cent supporting the negotiation of a bilateral free trade agreement.

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