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Western views of China more positive among those aged 18 to 24, survey finds

  • Overall results reflect deteriorating relationship between China and the West
  • But younger respondents to survey by American think tanks ‘hold a remarkably cooperative view on their country’s relationship with China’

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In Britain, 29 per cent of young people saw China as a partner, compared with 20 per cent for all ages. Photo: Xinhua

Westerners aged 18 to 24 hold more positive attitudes towards China than their elders, standing out from a generally negative perception of the world’s second largest economy, a survey has found.

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American think tanks the Bertelsmann Foundation and the German Marshall Fund conducted a poll of attitudes in 11 countries, including the United States and Germany, on a range of topics such as relations with China, war in the Middle East and responses to the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
Released on Monday, the report found that over half the 11,000 people surveyed saw China as a rival and had a negative view of its global influence, but that young people had a more positive attitude.

“Across all countries in the survey, a plurality have a negative perception of Beijing’s influence in global affairs,” the Transatlantic Trends report said.

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“In Canada, the US, Germany and the UK, younger respondents hold a remarkably cooperative view on their country’s relationship with China.”

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