China Favorability Drops In April

The TIPP China Favorability Index dropped 1.6 points or 4.49%, from 35.6 in March to 34.0 in April.

The index fell across the board in April, with 29 of the 36 demographic groups we track falling, indicating a drop in favorable perception of the country.

TechnoMetrica started tracking China's favorability last month.

To compute the index, we use survey responses to the question: Generally speaking, is your opinion of China: Very Favorable, Somewhat Favorable, Not Very Favorable, or Not At All Favorable

The indexes range from 0 to 100.  A reading of 50 or higher is favorable, while a reading of 50 or lower is unfavorable.  50 is neutral.

Only two demographic groups, Democrats and those in the age group of 25 to 44, have a favorable opinion of China.

Relevance

How Americans view China will have a bearing on U.S. foreign policy, consumption of goods made in China, and broader trade with the country.

According to national security experts, China is the most important global power for the United States to concentrate its efforts on, followed by Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) recently released the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.  According to the report, Beijing sees increasingly competitive US-China relations as part of an epochal geopolitical shift and views Washington's economic measures against Beijing since 2018 as part of a broader U.S. effort to contain China's rise.

China is neither an ally nor an enemy.  It is a rising global power vying for superpower status.

China's military might, desire for dominance, and treatment of its adjacent lands are causes of concern.

Further, China's treatment of Uyghurs and handling of Hong Kong raise human rights issues. Many describe the Uyghur situation as a genocide.

The U.S. relies on China for trade and supply of critical goods. And China's economy depends on trade with the U.S.

Keeping all of this in mind, we devised a broad metric to assess how Americans perceive China.

And we'll keep track of it every month to keep our readers up to date.

Behind The Numbers

While we can not attribute the drop to a single event, news on various topics ranging from Hong Kong talks to increased Uyghur coverage in the United States may have lowered favorability.

The perception of China is most positive among

• Age 25-44 group (52.5),
• Democrats (50.0),
• Urban residents (48.9), and
• Blacks (46.8).

The perception of China is most negative among

• Age 65+ (18.3),
• Republicans (19.2),
• White women (21.6),
• Age 45-64 (22.2), and
• Rural (22.8)

President Biden's Handling Of China

Only 36% give President Biden an A or B for his handling of China.  Democrats and liberals have a favorable view of China, while Republicans and conservatives have an unfavorable view.  Independents and moderates are closer to Republicans than Democrats.

By party and ideology share giving an A or B:

• 59% of Democrats
• 14% of Republicans
• 22% of Independents
• 28% of Conservatives
• 33% of Moderates
• 55% of Liberals

The US-China relationship is more critical than ever as China flexes its muscles in pursuit of geopolitical hegemony.

As the ODNI report recently said in its threat assessment," Beijing is increasingly combining its growing military power with its economic, technological, and diplomatic clout to preserve the CCP, secure what it views as its territory and regional preeminence, and pursue international cooperation at Washington's expense."

The United States must effectively counter China's global soft power, especially in foreign aid.

It is critical to monitor public opinion in the United States regarding China, which is why tippinsights prioritizes China issues.

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TIPP Takes

Taiwan Is Sovereign State, Not Subordinate To China: VP Lai Ching-te

• Amid escalating aggression from China in the region, Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te emphasized that Taiwan is a sovereign state and that "the two [nations] are not affiliated with each other."
• In his opening remarks at this year's "Global Taiwan National Affairs Symposium," Vice President Lai Ching-te listed six principles the Taiwan government promises to its people:
  -Safeguarding sovereignty with no room for compromise.
  -Maintaining a free and democratic way of life with no infringement.
  -Honoring commitments to build a prosperous country that benefits everyone.
  -Guaranteeing the people the power to decide the future of the nation.
  -Being dedicated to stable and peaceful developments across the Taiwan Strait.
  -Promoting peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The symposium, organized by the elite political group Taiwan Nation Alliance, highlighted the need for Taiwan to become a normal country and discussed peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region.

UK To Send Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier To Japan, S Korea

• Royal Navy flotilla will stop off in India and Singapore and sail through the contested South China Sea.
• United States ships and a frigate from the Netherlands will join the aircraft carrier. It will carry out exercises with forces from Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, the UAE, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Israel, India, Oman, and South Korea.
• The high-profile voyage aims to bolster security ties in East Asia and comes amid tensions in the region as concern grows in Japan over any threat posed to neighboring Taiwan by China and increased tensions in the disputed South China Sea.

Anger As Ex-Generals Warn Of Civil War In France

• The French government has condemned an open letter signed by active soldiers that said the country was heading for "civil war" due to religious extremism.
• About 1,000 servicemen and women, including some 20 retired generals, put their names to the letter.
• It warns French President Emmanuel Macron, his government, and MPs of "several deadly dangers" threatening France, including "Islamism and the hordes of the banlieue" - the impoverished immigrant suburbs - that surround French cities.

Russia Issue Splits Czech Republic

• Allegations of Russian involvement in a 2014 munitions depot attack have shaken the Czech Republic.
• Both the government and opposition have spoken of "state terrorism" and an "attack on a sovereign state by Russia." Memories of the 1968 Soviet invasion have been awakened.
• President Milos Zeman's reaction came as the next shock. After eight days of silence, Zeman gave a televised address saying he had not yet seen any evidence that Russia was behind the explosions. The head of state, known to be pro-Putin, warned against "speculation and hysteria."