Australians' feelings towards China are thawing but suspicion remains high: Lowy 2023 poll
- Written by Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
The diplomatic thaw between China and Australian since the election of the Albanese government is being followed by a limited thaw in Australians’ negativity towards China, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2023 Poll.
But Australians remain deeply concerned about China as a long term potential military threat.
In the poll, more than half (56%) saw the resumption of ministerial contact as positive for Australia, while there has been a decline in those seeing China as a security threat.
Asked whether China is more of an economic partner or more of a security threat to Australia, those nominating a security threat is down 11 points from 2022 (to 52%). Those nominating an economic partner has risen 11 points to 44%.
