. Earth Science News .
EPIDEMICS
Post-COVID, more in West see China as major power
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) June 30, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has led a growing number of Westerners to see China as a top power, with the lead of the United States slipping, a study said Tuesday.

A survey of French, German and US opinion released by the German Marshall Fund of the United States found significant increases in perceptions of Chinese influence since the outbreak of COVID-19 -- in which Beijing has alternately been portrayed as a culprit and an aid provider.

The proportion of people who said China was the most influential global player shot up from 13 to 28 percent in France between surveys in January to May, from 12 to 20 percent in Germany and from six to 14 percent in the United States.

"Chinese influence in the world was kind of an abstract idea before the crisis," said Martin Quencez, deputy director of the German Marshall Fund's Paris office.

"When you think about the dependency on China for mask and medical equipment, for instance, this has become very concrete," he said.

Quencez expected a lasting impact, saying that the changes in perceptions were seen across generational and political lines.

"It seems more structural than just a quick response to the crisis," he said.

The public in all three countries still said that the United States was the most influential nation but less overwhelmingly.

In France, 55 percent of people said the United States was the top global player in May, down from 67 percent in January. Similar figures were reported in Germany.

One comparative loser was the European Union, which the French and Germans had put solidly in second place, over China, before the pandemic.

Despite China's perceived influence, the survey found that majorities in both Germany and France said their countries should get tougher on Beijing over climate change, human rights and cybersecurity.

The figures were lower in the United States, possibly because President Donald Trump's administration has already been championing a hard line and pushing Europe to do likewise.

The Trump administration has blamed COVID-19 on poor management in China, where the virus was first detected late last year.

Critics say Trump is trying to deflect from his own handling of COVID-19 in the United States, which has suffered by far the highest death toll of any country.

The survey also showed a sharp transatlantic divide on the influence of Britain, which left the European Union this year.

Fifty-three percent of Americans said Britain was the most influential country in Europe, an opinion shared by just eight percent of Germans and six percent of French.

The study, conducted with the Bertelsmann Foundation in Germany and Institut Montaigne in Paris, surveyed more than 1,000 different people in each country both from January 9-22 and May 11-19.


Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


EPIDEMICS
World must work together on health crises: vaccine group chief
World (AFP) June 26, 2020
The coronavirus crisis should be a wake-up call for the international community to stop the "boom and bust" cycle of vaccine research and public health preparation, the head of the global vaccine alliance has said. In a recent interview with AFP, Seth Berkley of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said countries should work together to tackle the pandemic and other health crises. Earlier this month Gavi and its partners attracted pledges of $8.8 billion for its five-year programme to immunise 300 milli ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

EPIDEMICS
Hungary enlists army in fight against virus joblessness

Build a better, greener world economy after pandemic: Stiglitz

'Hey Siri,' shortcut put to use against police abuse

Morocco navy 'rescues' 100 seaborne migrants: agency

EPIDEMICS
Levitating droplets allow scientists to perform 'touchless' chemical reactions

Precise measurement of liquid iron density under extreme conditions

Oz tech titans to build world's tallest 'hybrid timber' tower in Sydney

Northrop Grumman completes PDR for Overhead Persistent Infrared Subsystem

EPIDEMICS
Ethiopia says on track to fill mega-dam as African Union pushes for deal

14 missing after Philippines sea collision

'It's my dam': Ethiopians unite around Nile River mega-project

UN Security Council to meet Monday on Ethiopia dam

EPIDEMICS
South Pole warming three times faster than rest of Earth: study

Antarctic sea ice loss is good news for the continent's penguins

Seasonal sea ice changes hold clues to controlling CO2 levels, ancient ice shows

Plastic 'has entered' Antarctic terrestrial food chain

EPIDEMICS
Antibiotic use on crops isn't being monitored in most countries

U.S. beekeepers saw unsually high summertime colony losses in 2019

China dog meat festival goes ahead but virus takes a toll

China inspects food imports over virus fears

EPIDEMICS
12 killed as rainstorms batter southern China

Eruption of Alaska's Okmok volcano linked to period of extreme cold in ancient Rome

New research reveals how water in the deep Earth triggers earthquakes and tsunamis

Sahara dust cloud looms over Cuba, Caribbean and Florida

EPIDEMICS
Senegal capital fights shoreline developers

Cameroon's President Biya under pressure over human rights

Renewed clashes in Tunisia's deprived south

Burkina army says it has destroyed two jihadist 'bases'

EPIDEMICS
Early peoples in Pacific Northwest were smoking smooth sumac

In the wild, chimpanzees are more motivated to cooperate than bonobos

Archaeologists find ancient circle of deep shafts near Stonehenge

Neandertal genes in the petri dish









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.