Two-thirds of Australians see China as a threat

Trust has been declining since 2017 and remains at a record low, think tank survey shows

Two-thirds of Australians see China as a “security threat”, while only a third view it as “more of an economic partner”, according to a new poll by an independent Australian think tank.

Australians’ perceptions of China this year have not changed since 2021, according to the Lowy Institute, which surveyed 2,006 adults in March.

The foreign policies of Russia and China had emerged as “possible threats” to the vital interests of Australia in the next decade following the invasion of Ukraine in February, the poll showed.

It also showed 64 per cent of Australians were also concerned about “a military conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan”, representing a 12-point increase from last year and 29 points higher than in 2020.

“Trust, warmth and confidence in China and China’s leader started to decline in 2017, and continue to remain at record lows in 2022,” said Natasha Kassam, director of the Lowy Institute’s Public Opinion and Foreign Policy programme.

“There is also increased concern about the potential for China to pose a military threat in the region and to Australia.”

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his recent trip to Tonga that China had no desire to take part in a “geopolitical competition” for influence over the Pacific Island nations.

Tensions between China and US allies in the Pacific have increased with the signing of a security pact between Beijing and the Solomon Islands.

“However, warmth towards and trust in the United States have not returned to the high levels that were recorded during the Obama years,” said Kassam, referring to US president Barack Obama who served from 2009-17.

More than three quarters of respondents agreed “Australia’s alliance with the US made it more likely” it would be drawn into a war in Asia that would not be in its interests, the poll showed.

Along with increased concerns about safety and security, the poll said Australians had downgraded their view of the country’s economic prospects.

Six in 10 said they were “very optimistic” or “optimistic” about Australia’s economic performance in the world over the next five years, which represented a 17-point fall from 2021 but remained 10 points ahead of the record low in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

But support for free trade continued to see an upwards trajectory, the poll showed, with 78 per cent agreeing it “is good for the Australian economy and Australian companies”.

However, warmth towards and trust in the United States have not returned to the high levels

NATASHA KASSAM, LOWY INSTITUTE

Australia is already a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which also included China and took effect at the start of the year.

Xiao Qian, China’s ambassador to Canberra, said Australia had caused a breakdown in relations between the two nations but there was still an opportunity to improve the bilateral relationship if the new Albanese government in Canberra took action.

China is Australia’s largest trading partner and the biggest customer for its iron ore, but relations have deteriorated in recent years.

Beijing imposed trade sanctions on Australian products in response to calls from the previous Morrison administration for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus and the decision to ban Huawei Technologies from Australia’s 5G network.