Influence of China

Q. Thinking about Australia’s relationship with China, how do you rate the influence of China on each of the following aspects?

	Very positive	Somewhat positive	Somewhat negative	Very negative	Unsure
Australia’s defence, military, and national security	10%	23%	27%	17%	22%
Australia’s international trade	19%	40%	18%	9%	15%
Australia’s culture	11%	32%	27%	12%	18%
Australia’s politics	8%	22%	32%	16%	21%
Chinese corporations and businesses operating in Australia	10%	31%	25%	19%	16%

• Almost one fifth of participants (19%) believe that China has a very positive influence on Australia’s defence, military and national security, with another 23% providing a somewhat positive rating.
• Nearly one in five participants thought that China’s influence on Chinese corporations and businesses operating in Australia was very negative (19%).
• Another one-fifth were unsure about China’s influence on Australian politics (21%).
• Broadly, those aged 18-34 years old, on high household incomes, in paid employment or with university education were more positive about China’s influence on Australia.

Australia’s defence, military, and national security

	Total	Gender		Age
		Male	Female	18-34	35-54	55+
Very positive	10%	11%	8%	18%	8%	5%
Somewhat positive	23%	25%	22%	32%	24%	15%
Somewhat negative	27%	30%	25%	22%	26%	32%
Very negative	17%	19%	15%	7%	15%	28%
Unsure	22%	15%	30%	22%	26%	20%
Base (n)	1,096	536	560	347	364	385

• Those aged between 18-34 years old (18%) or in paid employment (14%) were more likely to believe that China had a very positive impact on Australia’s defence, military, and national security than those over 35 years old (7%) or in other employment groups (6%).
• Participants without dependent children were more likely to think that believe that China had a very negative impact on Australia’s defence, military, and national security (20%) than those with dependent children (12%).

Australia’s international trade

	Total	Gender		Age
		Male	Female	18-34	35-54	55+
Very positive	19%	23%	15%	26%	17%	14%
Somewhat positive	40%	44%	36%	40%	38%	42%
Somewhat negative	18%	17%	19%	15%	18%	21%
Very negative	9%	7%	10%	6%	9%	10%
Unsure	15%	8%	21%	14%	18%	12%
Base (n)	1,096	536	560	347	364	385

• Male participants were more likely to say that China had a very positive impact on Australia’s international trade (23%) than females (15%).
• Participants aged between 18-34 years old were more likely to think that China had a very positive impact on Australia’s international trade (26%) than those over 35 (15%).
• Similarly, those in paid employment or a high household income (23% and 25% respectively) more likely to think that China had a very positive impact on Australia’s international trade than those in other employment states (14%) or with lower or mid-household incomes (17%).
• Participants with university education were also more likely to say that China had a very positive impact on Australia’s international trade (24%) than those with only a secondary school education (11%).

Australia’s culture

	Total	Gender		Age
		Male	Female	18-34	35-54	55+
Very positive	11%	13%	9%	19%	10%	6%
Somewhat positive	32%	32%	32%	38%	30%	29%
Somewhat negative	27%	29%	24%	22%	26%	32%
Very negative	12%	14%	10%	4%	12%	20%
Unsure	18%	11%	24%	17%	23%	13%
Base (n)	1,096	536	560	347	364	385

• Younger participants (aged 18-34 years old, 19%) were more likely to say China had a very positive influence on Australia’s culture than those over 35 (8%).
• Those in paid employment (15%) or university education (16%) were more likely to say China had a very positive influence on Australia’s culture than those in other employment groups (7%) or with less education (9%).

Australia’s politics

	Total	Gender		Age
		Male	Female	18-34	35-54	55+
Very positive	8%	11%	6%	15%	8%	3%
Somewhat positive	22%	22%	22%	28%	25%	14%
Somewhat negative	32%	36%	29%	28%	29%	38%
Very negative	16%	19%	14%	9%	16%	23%
Unsure	21%	13%	29%	20%	22%	21%
Base (n)	1,096	536	560	347	364	385

• Younger participants (aged 18-34 years old, 15%) were more likely to say China had a very positive influence on Australia’s politics than those over 35 (6%).
• Similarly, those in paid employment (12%) were more likely to say China had a very positive influence on Australia’s politics than those in other employment groups (4%).

Chinese corporations and businesses operating in Australia

	Total	Gender		Age
		Male	Female	18-34	35-54	55+
Very positive	10%	11%	8%	17%	9%	4%
Somewhat positive	31%	33%	29%	33%	33%	26%
Somewhat negative	25%	25%	24%	22%	22%	30%
Very negative	19%	20%	17%	13%	16%	26%
Unsure	16%	10%	22%	15%	20%	14%
Base (n)	1,096	536	560	347	364	385

• Participants aged 18-34 were more likely to say that China had a very positive influence over Chinese corporations and businesses operating in Australia (17%) than those over 35 years old (7%).
• Those in paid employment were also more likely to say China had a very positive influence over Chinese corporations and businesses operating in Australia (13%) than those in other employment groups (7%).