According to a survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy is inadvertently helping China regain strength and is accelerating the emergence of a “truly multipolar world.”
The think tank conducted the survey among 25,949 respondents across 21 countries, including the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. The findings suggest that one year after Trump’s return to power, a large number of people around the world believe China is on the verge of becoming significantly more powerful.
Most respondents said that China currently leads key industrial sectors such as renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles, while its geopolitical influence is also steadily expanding on the global stage.
The survey indicates that people in nearly every region expect China’s global influence to grow further over the next decade. This view is shared by 83 percent of respondents in South Africa, 72 percent in Brazil, 57 percent in Russia, 54 percent in the United States, and 50 percent in the United Kingdom.
However, the think tank noted that majorities in only Ukraine and South Korea still view China primarily as a rival or an adversary. Compared to last year, a growing number of people in both South Africa and Brazil now see China as an ally.
The most significant shift in perception has occurred in India. Despite historically tense relations between New Delhi and Beijing, nearly half of India’s population now considers China either an ally or an “indispensable partner,” according to the survey.
Source: SCMP.
