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Canada: There is an extension in the value of Canadians observing India’s rising economic strength as an opportunity. At the same time, more and more of them momentarily see China’s growth in the area as a threat. These are amongst the conclusions of a national opinion poll carried out by the Non-Profit organisation Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) situated in Vancouver.
The group that endeavours to be a connection linking Canada and the Asia-Pacific region has been pursuing Canadian views towards the financial rise of India and China from 2004.
“Amid 2018 and 2020, the shift in attitudes for China and India has developed opposing pathways, something we have not perceived before. While 72% of Canadians accept that the increasing economic strength of India is more of an opportunity than a threat, a moderate increase since 2018 (71%), just 35% of Canadians recognise that the increasing economic power of China is more as an opportunity than a threat, falling from 60% in 2018,” the consequences of the yearly survey unveiled.
This is also the first event that the study has revealed the majority of respondents viewing China’s economic strength as a threat, at 57%.
Repeatedly, the opinion towards India is headed towards a confidently positive direction with just 18% viewing its economic increase as a threat, which the APF Canada defined as “an all-time low”.
Canadians’ overall attitude towards India has also continued stable. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means “very warm, favourable”, India gets 5.7.
“Over the prior decade, the governments of India and Canada have been performing efforts to develop a mutually advantageous connection, which can only flourish further if the Canadian people also hold a positive viewpoint,” the report transcribed. “On the flip side, Canadians’ attitudes towards China, which had been exceptionally solid for the past decade till 2018, fell from 4.9 to 3.6 in 2020.”
The study said there was support for Canada joining into a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, though that was not the situation concerning China. Just about one-third uttered support for an FTA with China, which is 59%.
“It marks the most inferior support for an FTA with China following we started polling Canadians on the case in 2012,” the report said.
One of the reasons behind the increasing hatred of Canadians’ towards China is the Covid-19 pandemic. Two-third of Canadians opposed with the narrative that the Chinese administration “acted responsibly” at the origin of the outbreak in Wuhan.
The vast majority, at 68%, “believe that Canada should carry a nonpartisan analysis into the roots of the Covid-19 virus”.
Human rights violations and the capture and detainment of two Canadians by the Chinese government are also serving into the escalating negativity.
“The majority of Canadians (83%) believe that Canada should stand up to China as Canadian national values such as the rule of law, human rights, and democracy are on edge,” the report steered out. In contrast, “67% believe Canada should work beside the US and other partners to pressure China, and around 67% also consider Canada should take a more proactive approach towards China” to separate the two detained there.