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🗞️Trust in China and the US: Findings from the Lowy Institute Poll 2024

🗞️Trust in China and the US: Findings from the Lowy Institute Poll 2024

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Despite the recent political reengagement between Australia and China over the last two years, the Lowy Institute Poll 2024 highlights that public opinion of China remains very negative.

The Poll :

The Lowy Institute's flagship annual poll, now in its 20th edition, is the most extensive and longest-running survey of Australian public opinion worldwide. It has demonstrated shifting opinions and been a significant factor in the public discourse on foreign policy for twenty years.

The Revelation :

The 20th Lowy Institute Poll shows that 17% of Australians trust China, while most are concerned about China becoming a military threat in the next 20 years. Trust in the US and President Biden has decreased, and many prefer Biden to be re-elected.

Australians view cyberattacks and potential conflicts over Taiwan and the South China Sea as the top threats to their interests. While 9 in 10 Australians view cultural diversity positively, 48% believe immigration levels are too high. Although a majority of Australians see global warming as a pressing issue, cost-of-living pressures have shifted the focus to reducing household energy bills. 61% now support nuclear power, a shift from 37% opposing it over a decade ago. Two-thirds of Australians believe the government's renewable energy target is either "about right" or "not ambitious enough."

“Over the past two decades, the world has changed, and Australians’ attitudes along with it,” said Dr Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute. “In 2005, most Australians felt safe. They felt optimistic about China’s rise. Today, Australians are far less trusting of China and they are worried about the risk of war in our region. One constant is that they continue to see the alliance with the United States as important to Australia’s security.”

While 62% of Australians say they feel safe, more than 70% are concerned about cyberattacks from other countries. Potential conflicts over Taiwan and the South China Sea also loom large as threats, more so than distant conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East.

“Australians’ views on security, defence and alliances remain complex,” said Ryan Neelam, Director of the Lowy Institute’s Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program. “Many Australians remain wary towards China, despite re-engagement at the political level. Overall, trust in China remains low, and threat perceptions remain high. The public is roughly divided on whether Australia should prioritise maintaining stability or deterring China.”

Other key findings from the Lowy Institute Poll 2024 include:

Cyberattacks from other countries remain the top-ranked threat to Australia’s vital interests, according to Australians. Potential conflicts over Taiwan and the South China Sea also loom large in the public psyche, more so than distant conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East.
Nine in ten Australians see cultural diversity as a positive for the country. But nearly half (48%) say the number of migrants coming to Australia is too high, while 40% say immigration levels are about right.
A majority of Australians (57%) say global warming is a serious and pressing problem about which we should begin taking steps now, even if this involves significant costs. But as cost-of-living pressures bite, there has been a strong swing towards a focus on reducing household energy bills and away from reducing emissions.
Six in ten Australians (61%) now support nuclear power, while 37% oppose it. This is a significant shift from more negative attitudes towards nuclear power more than a decade ago.
Two-thirds of Australians think the government’s renewable energy target is ‘about right’ (41%) or ‘not ambitious enough’ (25%). One-third say the target is ‘too ambitious’.

Our Data and Sources :

The Lowy Institute is an Australian think tank with a global outlook, hosting distinguished speakers on foreign policy, defense, politics, journalism, sport, science, and arts. It is at the center of Australia's foreign policy and national security debates, hosting the annual Lowy Lecture, which has featured prominent figures such as Malcolm Turnbull, Angela Merkel, and others.

Why does this matter? :

Based on the insights discussed, it is recommended that policymakers prioritize understanding Australian attitudes towards immigration, climate change, and energy policy to align decisions with public opinion. Moreover, these issues can have substantial implications for Australia's relationships with other countries, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region where tensions are high, influenced by Australian attitudes.

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