The Corona pandemic opened the world's eyes to the true nature of the Chinese system, and countless articles have told us in recent weeks about this. Perhaps it is right, but in Europe, it is the US response to the epidemic, which bothers politicians and the public at large, even more than China's response.
And a new survey by the "Corporate Corporation", released on Monday, is the latest evidence of this. His findings are staggering, and anyone in Washington who wants to see a strong, united front led by the United States, against China, should appear in the wake of this crisis.
The Germans split
The poll shows that the Germans are now divided almost equally over whether Washington or Beijing is the most important partner, with 37% choosing the United States and 36% who were in China's favor. This represents a major shift, compared to the last «Korper» poll, in September 2019, when the Germans sided with the United States, at the expense of China.
This does not mean that the Germans give China a free permit. 71% agree that more transparency from the Chinese government would reduce the impact or even prevent the spread of the epidemic. But only 36% say their position on China has worsened, compared to 73% who have deteriorated their view of the United States in this crisis.
What does this mean? First, some caveats. Few people expect transparency from the Communist Party of China, and they put the United States at a higher level, so they are easily disappointed when Washington fails.
The most negative
Moreover, German views of the United States have been, among the most negative, in Europe, since President Donald Trump came to the White House. This was the case, too, during the era of President George W. Bush, only for opinions to swing sharply to the positive region, once Barack Obama replaced him. But German public opinion is volatile, and it is strongly influenced by the person sitting in the Oval Office. "The German attitudes toward the United States were in a free fall, before the pandemic," says Nora Moller, executive director of international affairs at Corper. Doubts about Trump's epidemic management, and the apparent absence of US global leadership, have exacerbated these sentiments. On the other hand, German politicians should take into account broader considerations when balancing the relationship with Washington and Beijing; The United States is a democracy, sharing fundamental values with Europe, while China is not. America has guaranteed the security of Germany and other European countries for 75 years. China spent much of that period busy on its own. But the world is changing, and we may be at the dawn of an Asian century. Politicians in Germany and elsewhere in Europe see the geopolitical arc shift, and this affects their calculations. They realize that the Chinese Communist Party had kept secret of the virus in its early weeks, and then, when it spread around the world, it used a misleading advertising campaign in an attempt to change the narration in its favor. They also see how the Chinese leadership successfully contained the virus, though with tactics that will not be acceptable in liberal democracies. For this reason, the Chinese economy is likely to recover faster.
Partisan battle
And when they look to Washington, the Germans and Europeans see chaos, and a country facing a disease in which more than 91,000 people have died, while politicians continue their partisan battles. They see an administration that avoids scientific facts and global cooperation, when they are badly needed. They see a president who appears ready to take the "scorched earth" approach, when it comes to the relationship with China, if that is what it takes to save his hopes for re-election. More importantly, Trump, in Europe, is not seen as the cause of dysfunction in the United States, but rather a symptom that precipitated this dysfunction. And if Joe Biden arrives at the White House in January, the partisan divide will remain a constant hindrance. Likewise, the Americans will be completely unwilling to deal with the economic devastation left by the crisis. Working with America may be easier once Trump leaves, But for how long? The US response to the coronavirus has deepened these doubts, in Germany and other European countries. According to a survey conducted by Britain's Foreign Policy Group, this month, only 28% of Britons said they trust America to act responsibly in the world, down 13 points, since January. Conservative voters, who have previously expressed significant levels of confidence in America, bear the responsibility for losing that trust.
Challenges to come
This month, a poll conducted by the French IFOP poll group asked the best countries to prepare for the challenges of the coming decades. Only 3% of respondents chose the United States. A poll conducted by the SWG Research Institute in April showed that 36% of Italians surveyed believed that their country should focus on developing close relations with China, compared to 30% who chose the United States.
Instead, Europe is hedging, and negotiations are under way with Beijing on a comprehensive investment agreement and joint measures to combat climate change. And the conclusion of such deals takes a long time to implement, but if concluded in the American election period, it will send another signal that the United States is losing Europe at the forefront of foreign policy priorities.
73%
From the Germans their perception of the United States deteriorated in this crisis.
German attitudes toward America were in a free fall, before the pandemic. Doubts about Trump's epidemic management, and the apparent absence of US global leadership, have exacerbated these sentiments.