Survey: Americans Concerned About China’s Economic Strength

Posted September 18th, 2012 at 2:25 pm (UTC-5)
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A survey finds nearly two-thirds of Americans say U.S.-Chinese relations are good, and that most Americans consider China a competitor instead of an enemy.

But the survey, conducted by an independent U.S.-based research group, says the majority of Americans are concerned about China's growing economic strength.

More than 60 percent of respondents said the large amount of American debt held by China, the loss of U.S. jobs to China, and the U.S. trade deficit with China are very serious problems, and about half said China's emergence as a world power is a major threat to the U.S.

Foreign affairs experts surveyed, on the other hand, are less concerned about China's rising power. With the exception of retired military officers, only about 30 percent of the experts consider China's emergence as a world power a major threat.

Both U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have made China, in particular its trade practices, an election issue.

Mr. Obama says Mr. Romney closed factories as a businessman and shipped jobs to China. Mr. Romney says Mr. Obama has been soft on China.

On Monday, the Obama administration filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization about allegedly improper government subsidies for China's auto industry. The U.S. says the practice puts American manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage and encourages the outsourcing of production to China.