Fu Bao, a giant panda beloved by Koreans, arrived in China earlier this month, and Fu Bao fever has been raging in China as well. Some observers believe that the Chinese government’s aggressive promotion of Fu Bao through the media and the Internet is a sign that it wants to improve the deteriorating relationship between China and Korea through Fu Bao. In fact, many Koreans have even suggested that the fate of Fu Bao could have a significant impact on the future of China-Korea relations. Photo shows a picture of Fu Bao hanging in the center of Chengdu, Sichuan province, on April 4, the day he arrived in China (Image source: Xina/Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – While more than half of South Koreans believe that relations with China have become strained or adversarial in recent times, an overwhelming majority still hopes the two countries can maintain friendly and cooperative ties going forward, according to the results of a poll released on April 18.
The survey of 1,045 South Korean adults, conducted from April 4 to 10 across 17 provinces by the Global Times Institute (GTI), an affiliate of China’s state-run Global Times newspaper, revealed complex sentiments toward Beijing.
Fifty-seven percent of respondents said that South Korea-China relations had become more distant or hostile compared to the past, with 26 percent perceiving increased hostility and 31 percent sensing greater distance. Only 11 percent felt that ties had grown closer or more amicable.
Da Zhigang, director of the Northeast Asia Research Institute at the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that South Koreans generally view relations with China as increasingly tense, attributing the strains to perception issues, bilateral conflicts and the influence of other nations.
More than half of those polled believed the United States was a major factor hindering friendly South Korea-China relations, the newspaper reported. Eighty percent also thought that U.S. pressure on South Korea to restrict exports of semiconductors and other goods to China had negatively impacted the South Korean economy.
An overwhelming majority of South Koreans still hopes South Korea and China can maintain friendly and cooperative ties going forward (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
Despite these challenges, the Global Times highlighted that a majority of South Koreans recognize the importance of China ties and desire improved relations. Over 70 percent said South Korea-China relations are crucial for the country’s future development, and more than 80 percent believed South Korea could learn from China.
Additionally, 82 percent of respondents expressed a desire for the two nations to maintain a friendly and cooperative relationship going forward.
The poll also found a high level of interest in visiting China, with 72 percent wanting to travel there in the future, half of whom hoped to do so within the next three years. Ninety-three percent cited tourism as their primary motivation.
There was also familiarity with Chinese culture, as 76 percent said they were well acquainted with the famous giant panda Fu Bao, who recently returned to China, while 68 percent claimed knowledge of popular Chinese dishes like hot pot and tanghulu.
When asked to rate their understanding of China on a scale of 1 to 10, respondents gave an average score of 5.3.
The Global Times further reported negative public sentiment toward the South Korean government’s diplomatic policies, with 52 percent believing Seoul’s actions over the past two years had adversely impacted peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Nearly half also expressed doubts that the South Korea-U.S. alliance could resolve the country’s security issues.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
