China Replaces Russia As America’s No.1 Enemy – Free PDF Download

What has happened?

• 45% of Americans now say China is the greatest enemy of the U.S., more than double the percentage who said so in 2020.
• That year, Americans were equally as likely to say either China or Russia was the U.S.’s greatest enemy.
• The current shift coincided with a period when the global economy and human activity were severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China.
• The 3-18 poll also finds favorable views of China among U.S. adults falling for the second straight year, putting the figure at a historically low 20%.
• The rise in perceptions of China as the United States’ greatest enemy is accompanied by a sharp decline since 2020 in those mentioning Iran (down 15% points to 4%),
• As well as four-to-five-point declines in mentions of Iraq and North Korea and smaller declines in a handful of other countries.

• Perceptions of Russia as the United States’ greatest enemy, now 26%, were essentially unchanged from a year ago when 23% named it.
• But it is down from 32% who did so in 2019 when it ranked first overall.

Americans’ Perceptions Over Time

• Over the past several years, there have been noticeable fluctuations between the country perceived as the nation’s greatest adversary;
• China last ranked No. 1 in 2014, Russia topped the list in 2020, 2019 and 2015, and North Korea ranked highest in 2018 and 2016.
• Prior to China, Russia and North Korea’s top rankings, Americans named Iran (2006-2008, 2011 and 2012) and Iraq (2001 and 2005) as the United States’ greatest enemy.

Republicans vs Democrats

• There are noticeable partisan differences in perceptions of the greatest enemy of the U.S,
• With Republicans naming China as the top country and Democrats citing Russia.
• While 76% of Republicans name China as the greatest enemy, 43% of independents and 22% of Democrats do so.
• Conversely, close to half of Democrats name Russia (47%) compared with one in four independents (24%) and just 6% of Republicans.

Who Is the World’s Leading Economic Power?

• While Americans perceive China as the country’s top enemy, half also believe that China is the world’s leading economic power.
• This perception has noticeably increased since 2020, likely because of the COVID-related decline in the U.S. economy in the past year.
• While China has made strong progress in its overall GDP growth, it remains the world’s second-largest economy to the United States.
• Since 2000, Americans have alternated between choosing China or the United States as the leading economic power, often influenced by the current health of the U.S. economy.
• Far fewer Americans select the European Union (5%), Japan (4%), Russia (2%) or India (1%) for this distinction.

Future economic power?

• A separate question in the survey asks Americans which country they think will be the leading economic power in 20 years.
• The public’s views are more evenly split on this question, with 46% choosing China and 40% the United States.
• No more than 4% foresee the European Union, Japan, India or Russia achieving this distinction in 20 years.

Conclusion

• Perceptions of China as the greatest enemy of the U.S. are at a high point in Gallup’s trend at the same time its favorable rating is at a low point.
• These developments make U.S. foreign policy toward China especially important,
• As the tension between the two nations has only grown over the past decade during both the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations.

Q) Which among the following statements regarding Global Soft Power Index 2021 is correct?

1. The index is provided by Brand Finance.
2. India is ranked in top 10 countries.

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 & 2
4. None of the above

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