RUSSIALINK: “3 in 4 Russians View China Favorably – Poll” – Moscow Times

File Photo of Beijing Temple, adapted from image at lbl.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – March 31, 2021)

Three out of four Russians view China favorably, an independent poll said Tuesday, a 10% jump from last year as Moscow’s ties with the West grow increasingly strained.

The Levada Center polling agency said 75% of Russian respondents view China in a positive light, up from 65% in 2020. Only 14% said they view China negatively, down from 24% last year.

“Attitudes toward China improved dramatically in 2014 amid the conflict between Russia and the West,” Levada said, referring to the period after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

A majority of Russians, or 56%, also said that worldwide respect for China rose in the past decade, compared with 42% who said the same about Russia itself and 9% about the United States.

A majority of the respondents, 55%, said that Russian-Chinese relations improved Moscow’s global standing, according to the pollster.

One-third said that Russian-Chinese relations weakened Russian-U.S. relations.

Only 8% and 9% of Levada’s respondents, respectively, expressed the view that China has become less respected and that Russian-Chinese ties weaken Moscow on the global stage.

Levada carried out the survey among 1,616 Russian respondents in 50 regions between Jan. 29-Feb. 2.

President Vladimir Putin floated last fall the possibility of a Russian-Chinese military alliance, which the countries have so far rejected in favor of a strategic partnership.

Russia “pivoted” toward China after its annexation of Crimea triggered Western sanctions and sunk relations to post-Cold War lows.

[article also appeared at themoscowtimes.com/2021/03/31/3-in-4-russians-view-china-favorably-poll-a73423]

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