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Rabat – A new survey from Arab Barometer shows that 52% of Moroccans view China more favorably than they do the US.
The new data, which studies the US and China’s competition in the MENA, shows that only 28% of Moroccans favor the US over China.
The poll shows that fewer than a third of respondents have a favorable view of the US in the six countries in the MENA region.
In Algeria, 60% view China more favorably than the US (24%). In Tunisia, 50% of people show favorable views of China against 21% for the US.
The data shows that 34% of Libyans view China more favorably than the US (14%).
In the Middle East, 35% of Jordanians think better of China than the US (15%). The Arab Barometer study on US-China competition in the region shows that 43% people in Lebanon prefer China against 25% who prefer the US.
The Arab Barometer study explains the data, saying that the survey results “make clear that Arab publics prefer China.”
“By comparison fewer than a third have a favorable view of the US in all six countries, ranging from a high of 28 percent in Morocco to a low 14 prrcent in Libya,” the study finds.
The Arab Barometer study said that China’s focus on more socio-economic issues influences people’s opinion.
The study also said the US is more focused on politics, while China is more involved in economic related challenges.
It also revealed how people in the Arab world do not see China’s economy as a critical threat despite its leadership in the field.
Lebanese, however, are the most likely to consider China’s competition a threat, with 26%, followed by Tunisians (21%).
“Only in Morocco are citizens roughly equally concerned about the threat of Chinese vs. American economic power,” the study shows.
Arab Barometer found that 18% of Moroccans believe that the US’ economic power is a critical threat against 15% for China.
The study shows that 31% of Algerians consider the US’ economic power as a greater threat than that of China (13%). In Tunisia, 43% people believe the US’ economic power is a threat against 21% for China.
In the same region, citizens expressed positive views of the US foreign assistance.
Around 41% of Moroccans feel US foreign aid strengthens civil society, while 50% in Lebanon feel the same. Tunsians also have positive views towards US foreign assistance (46%), followed by Jordanians (40%), Algerians (35%), and Libyans (27%).
