Chinese regard growing for US democratic ideas

AROUND HALF of Chinese people like American ideas about democracy, according to a survey that has identified corruption, rising prices, the expanding wealth gap and pollution as the top priorities for Chinese people.

“While the Chinese have consistently rated their national and personal economic situations positively over the last few years, they are now grappling with the concerns of a modern, increasingly wealthy society,” this week’s survey by the Pew Research Centre has shown.

The gap between rich and poor was the third-biggest concern, with 48 per cent of respondents citing it, up from 41 per cent in 2008. Half of the respondents said corrupt cadres were a major problem, up from 39 per cent four years ago.

The survey showed a small increase in the embrace of US democratic ideas – up to 52 per cent, from 48 per cent in 2007, with just 29 per cent saying they disliked these ideas.

In the higher income category, about seven in 10 Chinese have a positive opinion about American democratic ideals.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the recent territorial row, views on the Japan-China relationship were negative, with just three in 10 Chinese characterising their relationship with Japan as one of co-operation, and 41 per cent describing the relationship in terms of hostility.

At the same time, the percentage of Chinese who characterise their country’s relationship with the US as one of co-operation has plummeted from 68 per cent to 39 per cent.

Concerns over the safety of food and medicine have increased the most.

In 2008, 12 per cent said food safety was a major problem; this time, after numerous food scandals involving products from baby powder to pork, the number more than tripled to 41 per cent.

The same survey showed that 41 per cent of people interviewed in 21 countries ranked China as the world’s biggest economy, while 40 per cent put the United States in first place.

The trend was especially strong in Europe.