Public Attitudes Toward China

Let's specifically look at public attitudes towards China and towards trade deals. Do you think it's necessary or unnecessary to confront China over its trade policy now? 67% say it's necessary, so there's significant backing of the policy of confronting China. Do you think President Trump is too tough, 40%. Too lenient, 41%. Or just right, 19%, when it comes to negotiating with China. A divided American public as usual, but when you read it this way there's about 60% that say he is too lenient or about right, which means there's about 60% support for a tough policy against China. In fact, the previous question put it at 67.

Of course, tariffs, like any tax, is not a popular thing. Do you approve or disapprove of Trump's tariffs on 25% of 200 billion dollars of Chinese goods? That was split 50/50. Do you approve or disapprove of the plans for an additional 10% tariffs on certain goods, also split 50/50. So, for something as unpopular as a tariff or tax, by itself these are fairly good numbers. Do you think the tariffs are hurting most of the US or China? 63% say the US. Was the delay by the Trump administration on 160 million in tariffs on electronics and other consumer goods until after the holidays, do you think an acceptance that the tariffs would hurt the US or not see it that way? 56% saw him as backing off from something that might be hurtful to the US. They believe overwhelmingly that the US pays the cost of tariffs. But, despite some of the uncertainty and concern about tariffs, when you ask the votes is China a currency manipulator? Meaning they artificially weaken their currency to make their product more competitive, 77% of the American public says that.

And, some people say that if China has been getting the better end of our trade deals with them, it's not worth rocking the boat now to fix these issues. Others say it's important to correct trade with China now, because they will soon surpass our own economy. 80% say fix the issues now. This is, I think, a very substantial endorsement of the stand up to China policy and stand up now. Obviously, the public thinks maybe Trump will be able to get a deal, 53% say he probably won't, 47% say he will. But, from an electoral point of view, this question I think is most revealing. Do you think a Democratic president would be more, less, or just as effective as Trump at standing up to the Chinese? 33% more, 44% less, 23% just as effective. So, there's 44% who think that a Democrat would be less effective. And do you think the last few presidents stood up to China as they should have, or failed to stand up? 60% say they failed to stand up to China and let them take advantage of the US.

50/50 on whether or not we should support student protesters in Hong Kong, though that seems to be at least somewhat resolved. And it's important to understand that Xi Jinping has been named President For Life in China. And so, we asked people, does that make him an effective emperor, or is a duly elected official representing the state party? 69% see him as an emperor, which is a kind of nicer way of saying an absolute dictator over 1.4 billion people, immune from an electoral process. So, they leadership of China in a quite negative light, just as they see the country as being a currency manipulator, and that we have to take a stand now if we're going to fix these problems. Otherwise, China will continue to grow until they get passed us.

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