More than half of younger Americans now have negative views of China, survey finds

The number of confirmed cases Coronavirus is at least 2,994,960, with at least 200,000 deaths around the world. The virus continues to spread around the world, and so is the backlash against China where the virus originated back in December 2019. According to a new survey published April 25 by Pew Research, 53 percent of younger Americans now view China “unfavorably.”

The survey, which examined the public’s views of the nation during the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic, was conducted between March 3 and March 29, 2020, among 1,000 adults in the United States. The survey found roughly two-thirds of Americans now say they have an unfavorable view of China, the most negative rating for the country since Pew Research began asking the question in 2005.

The survey took place as the coronavirus outbreak spread throughout the U.S., with several states implementing lockdowns and death tolls multiplying at a rapid clip. While China’s handling of the virus may have made an impression on some Americans, it does not appear that escalating conditions in the U.S. over the course of March shifted attitudes toward China during that period. The study also found that roughly nine in 10 American adults see China’s power and influence as a threat, including 62 per cent who say it is a major threat, according to the survey.

“Older Americans, those ages 50 and older, are more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to have unfavorable views of China. This has been the case every year since the Center first asked the question 15 years ago. But while half or more of those 50 and older have held negative views of China since 2012, this is the first year in which more than half of younger Americans also have an unfavorable opinion. Among this age group, negative views have roughly doubled since the question was first asked,” Pew said.

The survey also found that older Americans, those aged 50 and older, are more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to have unfavorable views of China, and that this has been the case every year since the Center first began asking the question 15 years ago. However, while “half or more of those 50 and older have held negative views of China since 2012, this is the first year in which more than half of younger Americans also have an unfavorable opinion. Among this age group, negative views have roughly doubled since the question was first asked.”