The study was based on a poll of 16,168 people in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden, the South China Morning Post reported recently. The poll was conducted in April.
The poll found that just 23% of respondents in 11 European countries wanted to side with the US, while 62% wanted to remain neutral. The poll, part of a study by the European Council on Foreign Relations, found that many European citizens (43%) continue to see China as an essential partner with which they want to cooperate.
A new poll shows that many people in 11 European countries do not want Chinese companies building critical infrastructure in their countries.
On the other hand, the study found that more Europeans are in favor of sanctioning China if it supplies weapons to Russia even if it would severely damage Western economies, with 41% in favor of such a move compared to 33% opposed.
The possibility of China supplying weapons to Russia has been described as a "red line" by European Union (EU) leaders and they continue to lobby China not to ship weapons to the Russian military, according to the South China Morning Post .
Respondents were also wary of Chinese investment in Europe, with a vast majority saying it would be “unacceptable” for Chinese companies to own ports, bridges, newspapers, football teams or technology companies in Europe, and many would not want Chinese companies building critical infrastructure in their countries.
The study comes amid a heated debate about how the EU should engage with China.
In Brussels, policymakers are putting together an economic security strategy, due to be proposed on June 20, that will propose ways to distance the European economy from Beijing in areas where dependence is growing.
The new strategy will see the EU's first moves to screen companies' investments in China, a controversial move that has angered businesses and some EU member states that want to continue free trade, according to the South China Morning Post .
Source link
Comment (0)