Thursday, June 23, 2005

China 'is more popular' than US

America's image is still so tattered abroad after the Iraq war that China is viewed more favourably than the US in many countries, a global poll finds.

Thursday, 23 June, 2005, 18:03 GMT 19:03 UK

It's image has not recovered in Western European countries, the US-based Pew Research Center found. In none of the 16 countries surveyed, the US included, does a majority of the public think the war leading to Saddam Hussein's removal made the world safer.

But hostility towards the US has eased in some parts of the Muslim world. "It's amazing when you see the European public rating the United States so poorly, especially in comparison with China," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, which carried out the survey.

China is well considered in Europe and Asia, although there is considerable wariness about its growing economic and military power. Solid majorities in every European nation except Turkey would not like to see China rival the US as a military superpower, the survey said.

'Hardworking'

A majority of the public in 10 of the 15 countries surveyed holds unfavourable opinions of the US. President George W Bush's calls for greater democracy in the Middle East and US aid to tsunami victims in Asia have been welcomed in many countries.

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