The following is an excerpt from Gallup News.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Half of Americans say China is the United States’ greatest enemy
- Since the pandemic, China has held the top spot as the greatest enemy
- Democrats and Republicans have different views on who is the top enemy
For the third year in a row, Americans are most likely to mention China as the United States’ greatest enemy in the world today.
When asked the open-ended question, 50% of Americans say China is their nation’s greatest enemy, with most of the rest, 32%, naming Russia.
North Korea, which was viewed as the greatest enemy in 2018, is now a distant third at 7%.
The latest results are from Gallup’s Feb. 1-23 World Affairs survey, coinciding with widespread reporting of China’s balloon-carried surveillance device being shot down over U.S. waters.
There has also been growing concern in the U.S. about China’s alleged backing of Russia in the Ukraine conflict and its association with the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic.
China’s position atop this year’s list is notable for extending the longest stretch of time such a large proportion of Americans have agreed on what country represents the United States’ greatest enemy.
The highest level of consensus on this question since Gallup launched it in 2001 was for North Korea in 2018, with 51% naming it. But that tumbled to 14% the following year after former President Donald Trump worked to defuse U.S.-North Korea tensions.
While Iran topped Gallup’s greatest enemy list five times between 2006 and 2012, it did so with far fewer Americans naming it than name China today, topping out at 32%. That was also the percentage naming Russia when it topped the list in 2019.
In addition to China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, Iraq has also led the list, in 2001 and 2005. (Continued…)
Link to article here.
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