A recent report, entitled ‘U.S. Image Plummets Internationally as Most Say Country Has Handled Coronavirus Badly’ was authored by Richard Wike, Janell Fetterolf and Mara Mordecai and published on Pew Research Center website (PRC 9-15-2020). The conclusion of the report (see title) does not surprise many people since the global media have ample negative comments about the U.S. leadership since President Donald Trump took office. However, the survey results covering 13 nations across two decades (2000-2020) arranged together does present some interesting data and interpretation worthy of further analysis and comments. Aside from the obvious conclusion, we can comment on the nuances associated with public opinion data and offer further thinking.
 
First, we should recognize the reputation of P.R.C. PRC is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world by conducting public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. PRC does not take policy positions and maintains independence, objectivity, accuracy, humility, and transparency in its mission - To generate a foundation of facts enriching public dialogue and enabling sound decision making. Its broad empirical research scope covers a wide range of topics helpful to the U.S. and international policymakers, civic leaders, educators and the public at large to understand and address some of the world’s most challenging problems.
 
An unbiased (nonprofit, nonpartisan and non-advocacy) public opinion survey revealing the voice of the people and coupling it with independent demographic, economic and political analyses can provide insight on how the world is changing. This is a very valuable public service. However, the public survey methodology is not totally free from defects. First, the sampling of survey target is a complicated issue. Taking the phone survey alone, you have the issue of picking a meaningful population ratio of landline versus cell-phone since the phone type (land vs. cell), phone number (clustered banks of consecutive numbers) and response rate (day, evening and no-responses) have an important influence on the survey population. In addition, the non-sequitur respondent (and/or bogus respondents) and influence by instant current events during the survey period do present challenges to public survey research.
 
Bearing the above in mind, we will examine the above mentioned survey report and its raw data. The report concluded that since Donald Trump took office as president, the image of the United States had suffered in and across many regions of the globe. As the new 13-nation PRC survey illustrated, America’s reputation has declined further over the past year among many key allies. In the six major countries, the share of favorable public view of the U.S. had all declined. Data tabulated over two decades from 2000 to 2020 show that the favorable ratings are dropping from 83 to 41 (UK), 62 to 31 (France), 78 to 26 (Germany), 77 to 41 (Japan), 72 to 35 (Canada) and 59 to 33 (Australia). The two decades consist of two terms of GW Bush, two terms of Barack Obama and one term of Donald Trump; there is an uptick at the beginning of the Obama Administration but overall showing a decline as indicated by the above numbers.
 
The report also claims that the decline over the past year is linked to how the U.S. had handled the Coronavirus pandemic, citing that “Across the 13 nations surveyed, a median of just 15% says the U.S. has done a good job of dealing with the outbreak. In contrast, most say the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union have done a good job.” But in nearly all nations (except the U.S. and U.K.) people give their own country positive remarks for dealing with the crisis and relatively few think China has handled the pandemic well, although better than the U.S. with a mean rating of 37:15. People also think their own country have done a better job than WHO with a mean rating of 74: 64. Here we can see an obvious bias by comparing the pandemic impact results reported by these countries and WHO. China has the lowest death rate and also lowest number of active cases per fixed population. In fact, WHO has given China high approval for her management of the pandemic disease.
 
Ratings for U.S. President Donald Trump started at a similar low value at the endpoint of Bush’s declining rating over eight years. The declining trend continued this year. Over the thirteen nations (the above six plus Belgium, Denmark, Italy, South Korea (SK), Netherlands, Spain and Sweden), Belgium gave the lowest approval where only 9% had confidence in President Trump to do the right thing in world affairs. Japan gave the highest assessment but still only 25% showing confidence in Trump. Trump also got lower rating than the U.S. (34:16). Comparing with other world leaders (six included in the survey), the orders are (I) Germany-Merkel and France- Macron, (II) UK-Johnson, (III) Russia-Putin and China-Xi , and (IV) Trump, fared the lowest.
 
The report also pointed out that the European respondents who support right-wing populist political parties do have a better view of Trump. For example, 45% of Spaniards who support VOX party versus only 7% who don’t support VOX have confidence in Trump. This survey result certainly resonates with the sentiments in the U.S. where Trump has consistently having a strong hold on the conservative right, especially among the 60% whites in the population. This correlation with right-wing political ideology is also exhibited in the question of how well the U.S. handled the corona-virus pandemic. In other words, people’s 'attitude' matters significantly in their judgment and decision even facing a medical issue such as corona-virus disease. Hence, we probably could predict that a similar correlation would be found if the question of how climate change was handled by the world leaders in a survey. Trump and his conservative supporters’ attitude on both pandemic and climate change can explain the Trump policies.
 
The pandemic would certainly have a significant impact on global economy. The majorities of the 13 countries except Japan and SK named China as the world’s leading economic power in 2020. People in Japan and SK still see the U.S. as the world’s top economy. This survey was conducted among 13,273 respondents in 13 countries from June 10 to August 3, 2020. This data revealed the survey challenges discussed above, the non-sequitur issue. Japan and SK both are large exporters to both the U.S. and China. Since the U.S. initiated a trade war (although targeting China but also impacting other countries), Japan and SK would rather see the U.S. being the top economy to lessen the pain from the trade war. In terms of buying power, China is no doubt the largest economy . The pandemic may even enhance her position in a relative sense since her economic recovery seems to be faster than other countries’.
 
The Black Lives Matter triggered by the George Floyd’s death did spill beyond the U.S., thus it would influence survey results, likely projecting a lower image of the U.S. PRC correctly avoided the racial injustice question into its 2020 survey. However in its past studies, there were obvious dips in U.S. image, for example, in 2013-2014 due to Edward Snowden event and 2014-2015 due to Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri. PRC is an experienced research center on opinion survey. Its work is commendable but we need to take precaution in interpreting the survey results with additional input from other demographic and geopolitical studies. This paper by Richard Wike et. al. may have used an obvious conclusion as its title, but the raw data contained therein be useful for scholars as well as political leaders to ponder for the benefit of enriching public dialogue and making sound policy decisions.
 



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Abstract

This is a topic of importance. Many China experts have discussed the topic from a Western perspective. This article discusses China and her difference from the U.S. in three parts covering demographics, economic system, political system, legal system, misinterpretations, religion, and media with the conclusion that China is not a mysterious country, if one compares the two countries in the above dissections.  
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Whenever the topic of US-China Relation comes up in a conversation among Americans with varied background, inevitably the discussion moves to interpreting current events involving China and the U.S. The fact that more and more people are interested in China-US affairs is a good thing, but very often one only hear these interpretations in a third person voice, namely quoting the media or hearsay. If there were Chinese Americans present, they were expected to engage in the discussion but expecting a first person opinion or knowledge. Unfortunately not all Chinese Americans, especially the second or third generation Chinese Americans, who may have physical Chinese features but rarely can they express their opinions convincingly in a knowledgeable manner with a first person tone. Nothing wrong with this phenomenon except the discussion tend to end with puzzles and question marks to the issues in discussion. This is not a good thing. The end result is that China is hard to understand by the West.
 
Occasionally in a group conversation, you have Chinese people who possess reasonably good knowledge about China but then they have not been in the West long enough to understand why China is so difficult to understand by the West? Or they don't have a reasonably good knowledge about the West, especially the views of mainstream media which dominate the mass. Or they have a language handicap in English to deliver their opinions in a convincing sound bite manner. Therefore, these Chinese people, being American citizens or residents or recent immigrants, very much wanting to express their opinions, can not convince their friends to accept why China is not so difficult to understand?!
 
Of course, it is not any single person's fault if the title questions exist among Americans or Westerners and to some extent among many people in the entire world. China is a large country with more than 3.7 million square miles of land not counting her islands and seas. China has the biggest population, 1.4 billion people, in the world, evolved from many races (officially 56 today) over thousands of years. This population consists of a principal language, a fairly universal Chinese culture in terms of food preferences, habits and even mannerism and an uniquely blended Chinese philosophy; but it also contains multiple dialects, different local customs, rich variation of specialty of cuisines, all sorts of religions (despite of an atheist Constitution limiting promotion of religion in contrast to a religious American Constitution but being challenged constantly to remove its religious base by some people), long economic and political history with varied experiences and very different life styles expanding many centuries. This characterization of China alone is enough a challenge for Chinese to understand China completely and you sure can appreciate what is like to Americans.
 
In a digital world today with Wikipedia, Weibo, Twitter and abundance of search engines in the Internet cloud, such as Google and Baidu, there is no lack of raw data and information about China and the U.S. but what is missing is some honest interpretation of facts with no bias. Unfortunately, to the title questions, the five millennium of Chinese history (a huge literal challenge) and the recent centuries of anti-Communism ideology (a constant intellectual brain-rinse) have created obstacles or biases preventing turning the zillions of data and information (including the Chinese classic literature， (文言文) to fair and honest knowledge about China. Hence, the metaphors, such as a rising China, an awakening lion, a flying dragon and China threat,  have been created and interpreted to represent a mystical China and a future threat to the West,
 
Many people don't believe that, especially the Chinese Americans who have a good understanding of the Chinese history and culture. What can or shall the Chinese Americans do regarding the title questions then? I would like to take an optimist's view to say, it is simple, or at least not difficult, to do a logical analysis on the title questions and tell anyone who cares to listen to your answers. Here is my version of the analysis for the readers of my columns with the hope that it will draw many plausible versions to demystify 'China' and prove that China is not difficult to understand and not much a threat.
 
China Is Not A Mysterious Country
 
China is not more mysterious than Japan or India. Americans often say that on a personal level, Chinese is not difficult to get along or become close friends with. Generally, Chinese are hard working employees, devotees to children, considerate in personal relationship or being an understanding boss and especially generous when becoming close friends. Yes, they may have some English language handicap or they may appear to be more reserved or conservative but they are more than willing to receive an extending hand of friendship, nothing mysterious at all. China as a country is not mysterious either recognizing the facts mentioned above: big country, large population, multiple dialects, religion neutral, different inheritance and long history of prosperity but recent century of misery due to the invasion of the West including Japan. There is no real mystery if one logically analyzes China from the above aspects. Yes, China has too many philosophies, some with opposing assumptions, for example, one believes that humans are born 'good' with a kind and compassionate heart, but environment and upbringing will contaminate and lead them to be evil; another believes that humans are born 'evil' with all bad traits such as being barbaric, selfish, greedy, etc, only education and good upbringing will make them good people. Is there anything wrong with these philosophies? Is anything really mysterious? No, one simply has to understand that both may be true. The Chinese people brought up in Chinese families exposed to multiple philosophies do develop a central or a universal philosophy though, that is, be kind to oneself, others and the environment. Yes, love the environment is deeply ingrained in Chinese philosophy. On this point, It is nice to see that the U.S. and China signed a climate change agreement recently (unfortunately the U.S. is backing out). Let's continue the analysis by asking what about China's economic, political and legal system? Aren't they different from ours and do they threaten our systems. Here is my view below.

 
To be continued
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Economic System
 
I would say China's economic system might be different from the Western economic system, but it would not be not mysterious nor threatening. West civilization evolved late but fast, more materialistic than spiritual, easily visible and admirable; hence since 19th century, the West had developed a superiority attitude, which formed a bias and persisted in The United States throughout WW II and after as the U.S. emerged as the superpower in the world. China, despite her prosperous past in her long history, suffered greatly in the 19th century owing to the West invasion. In the seven decades of 20th century, she became extremely poor owing to her treacherous revolution to establish a republic and her experiments with socialistic communism. However, in the recent four decades or so, China has adopted reform and pursued the Western style of economic development as manifested by her advance in infrastructure, technology and modernization of life style. Capitalism was employed in this reform gradually, but as a concept, capitalism has not been foreign to Chinese at all in their history. Money Bank (錢莊）， Pawn Shop （當舖），and private enterprising had been in practice in China for at least a couple of millennium resulting in examples of wealthy merchants richer than the emperor (hard to believe but it is true; don't we have corporations that are richer than the States?). The fast development in the recent few decades may be envied by many other countries; but it is actually costing China a lot in compromising her deep traditional culture and going backwards in spiritual civilization. Corruption has always accompanied with money and riches. Corruption was tolerated for the sake of harmonious peace in ancient Chinese history by emperors who would only take some cleansing measures when corruption had become so severe choking economy or hampering people's survival. Therefore, one should not be surprised that China had launched a serious anti-corruption program after recognizing that many of her successful state enterprises were deep in corruption.
 
Political System
 
Politically, China has long been an imperial system. With her advanced economic and cultural development, the Chinese emperors firmly believed that China was in the middle of the world, geographically centered to lead the world, hence the dynasties in China practiced a foreign policy of 'suzerainty' (招安）or 'tributary relation'， rewarding any suzerainty with gifts and aids even marriage with Emperor's daughters. This policy worked most of the time except some ambitious foreign leaders exploited the situation. The three dynasties, Jin (金), Yuan （元） and Qing (清）are the result of such foreign invasions. This part of history was the principal motivation for Japan to try to conquer China after Japan had succeeded in her Westernization process. The Chinese revolution against a corrupt and weak Qing dynasty was a treacherous route interrupted by the Japanese invasion (extended as WWII in Asia) and the Western powers' intervention mainly Russia backing a Communist revolution group (Mao Ze-dong) and the United States backing another revolution group (Chiang Kai-Shek). Mao eventually won and established the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the mainland while Chiang's Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan. Mao succeeded in revolution but failed in experimenting with his own notion of Communism leading to a break up with the Soviet Union in 1960's and struggling with China's economic development. The subsequent reform in China initiated by Deng Xiao Ping had led to the four decades of rapid economic development moving China's economy to be the second largest in the world today, which lent tremendous credit to the unique authoritarian Chinese one-party governing system. Democracy is practiced within the party and the exclusion of other political party assures the unity of the nation (a claim supported by Chinese history prior to PRC and current often fractured democracies suffering from hostile bi-partisan and sometimes frequent changes of government and/or parliament). The current leader, Xi Jinping, rose to the leadership position only after serving the party and the country successfully in many challenging positions, from a laboring peasant to village young leader to party member and numerous administrative and executive experiences. Now he is facing the challenge of sustaining China's economic growth while dealing with a complex world with several hostile and envious neighbors. Obviously, the 'suzerainty' foreign policy failed in the past, could not be employed again. So it is no mystery that China is learning from the successful United States in conducting herself (ironically, the more the U.S. is pressuring China with her alliance and sanction strategy, the more China is learning to resist it with counter (sometimes similar) measures. This explains China's assertive attitude regarding any territorial dispute and her desire to be recognized as a great nation. China's proposal of two-great-nations relationship with the U.S. should not be interpreted as a threat but a sincere desire to work with the U.S. together to maintain a peaceful world. Unless the U.S. believes that she alone and only she alone can maintain the world order, otherwise, engaging China in a two-great-nations relationship appear to be a realistic and win-win policy.
 
Legal System
 
The legal system in the West is a corrective system, assuming innocence then correct mistakes or criminal acts with legal actions. This system seems to have philosophical roots in 'people are born good' discussed above. This legal system is by no means perfect, for example, regarding freedom of speech, an abuser of freedom of speech, making slanderous attack on someone else, may be prosecuted, convicted even punished, but the end results often is still unfair to the innocent with his reputation ruined by the bad publicity associated with the trial. Another example is sex crime committed by a sex offender, in protecting the offender's right for a trial, the victim's privacy and human dignity often get destroyed. These types of examples give a bad impact to the society. Whereas in the East, the philosophy of 'people are born evil, education is needed to drive away the devil' is another option which is definitely existing in the legal system in China. 'Assuming innocence' is balanced with a bit of 'assuming evil', hence there are more restrictive and preventive laws limiting people's freedom especially in the area of sex crime, pornography, and freedom of speech, etc. Again, there should be no mystery why the Chinese society appeared to have less liberty. Unfortunately, the few dissenters (typically those violated or opposed to Chin's laws) were welcomed by the West and used as tools for charging China with human rights violation despite of the fact that majority of Chinese never supported these few dissenters.  The Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui exiled to the U.S. (with lots of money with questionable sources) is a good example. He claims he came to the U.S. to warn her that she is in danger of CCP's threat to the U.S. He said that the U.S. is naive about the CCP. The truth is that the U.S. has many China scholars who have debated endlessly about China.
 
To Be Continued


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