Despite a Chill in Public Perceptions, Canadians See China as Key to Their Future Prosperity, Survey Finds
VANCOUVER, BC – April 24, 2008 – Canadians see an important role for China in Canada’s future, even as a potential partner in a trade treaty, though they are increasingly worried about its human rights record, rising military power, and product safety. These are among the findings of a nationwide survey released today by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
Some 59% of respondents believe China is important to Canada’s prosperity, second only to the US. In the long run they think China holds even greater potential for Canadian exports and investment than does the US, by a margin of 36% to 28%. Some 45% of those polled think Canada should seek a free-trade agreement with China if the US attempts to renegotiate NAFTA, as the Democratic candidates for the US Presidency have threatened.
Overall, 60% of those polled believe the rise of China is more of an opportunity for Canada than a threat. But when it comes to jobs, 33% think increased trade with China will result in jobs disappearing in Canada. Another 43% think it will create jobs as well as cause job losses. Only 13% believe increased China trade will mean more Canadian jobs.
Prospects for commercial relations aside, two in three Canadians now see Beijing’s growing military modernization as a threat in the Asia Pacific region, up 10% from a similar poll two years earlier. And they see China’s power and influence increasing. Fully two thirds believe that China, along with India, will be as influential on the global stage as the United States within a decade. Nevertheless, 59% feel that potential problems with China should not be allowed to stand in the way of Canada expanding relations with democratic Taiwan.
Recent problems with some Chinese imports has produced a strongly negative reaction. Only 18% of Canadians feel that food products imported from China are as safe as those from other developing countries. Even fewer, 16%, think Chinese manufactured goods are of better quality than those from other developing countries.
On human rights, 37% of Canadians felt the human rights situation in China was better than 10 years earlier. This is a dramatic fall from a similar Foundation poll in 2006 where 63% felt the situation in China was improving.
Commenting on the results, Asia Pacific Foundation Co-CEO Paul Evans said that public perceptions of China have noticeably cooled in several areas. “Canadians are clearly aware of the increasing economic and strategic importance of China. But at the same time they are increasingly concerned about the challenges that the rise of global China poses. The chill in public perceptions is making the management of bilateral relations more complex than at any time since Tiananmen Square in 1989 and is testing political leadership in Ottawa.”
The survey for the Asia Pacific Foundation was carried out between March 15 and March 20, 2008, by Angus Reid Strategies which conducted an online survey among a randomly selected, representative sample of 2,659 adult Canadians. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 2%, 19 times out of 20. The results were statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and regional Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey includes samples of 602 adult residents of Atlantic Canada, 605 adult residents of Quebec, 619 adult residents of Ontario, and 640 adult residents of British Columbia. The margin of error for each of these samples is +/- 4%, 19 times out of 20.
Full results of the survey can be found at www.asiapacific.ca/analysis/pubs/pdfs/surveys/views_asia08.pdf
For additional information, please contact:
Dr. Paul Evans
Co-CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Tel: 604 630-1555
Email: co-ceo@asiapacific.ca
Melina Czerwinski
Communications Coordinator
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Tel: 604 630-1540
Email: melina.czerwinski@asiapacific.ca