Why is China losing popularity here?

By Kim Tae-gyu

The U.S. think tank, the Pew Research Center, has found an intriguing trend in its surveys in South Korea. Asked whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of China, an increasing number of respondents have come up with negative viewpoints over the past decade.

Favorable views of China were as high as 66 percent here in 2002 but they headed down to 52 percent in 2007, 48 percent in 2008, 46 percent in 2009 and 38 percent this spring, the fifth lowest among 22 nations researched.

By contrast, unfavorable views rocketed during the same period from just 31 percent in 2002 to 42 percent in 2007, 49 percent in 2008, 54 percent in 2009 and 56 percent this year, also the fifth highest among the 22 countries.

Adjunct professor Kim Seung-chae at Korea University said that China’s failure to play the role of neutral mediator between the two Koreas explains why the nation’s popularity is tailing off here.

``South Korean people once expected that China would be of great help in preventing any political strains on the Korean Peninsula since the country exerts great influence on the North,’’ Kim said.

``Such hopes disappeared due to the North’s nuclear tests in 2006 and last year. Hence, people seemingly grew disillusioned with China with things getting worse in the wake of the Cheonan sinking and the artillery attack on Yeonpyong Island.’’

Kim projected that the favorability of China would slump further below 38 percent as many South Koreans believe that Beijing takes side with Pyongyang no matter what activities the latter does.

A multinational investigation team concluded that the frigate Cheonan sank in March as a result of a North Korean torpedo attack. Pyongyang denied the allegations and Beijing, by and large, supported the communist regime.

When the North’s artillery attacked the border island of Yeonpyeong killing four people including two civilians on Nov. 23, China was also accused of having a dubious attitude, seeking just reduced tension without criticizing the North.

Professor Kang Jun-young at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies pointed out that the downward spiral in Chinese favorability started in the early 2000s since so many events have taken place that negatively affected South Koreans’ perception of China.

``Originally, we had a good impression but things started to change in the early 2000s due to the garlic dispute and the Northeast Project. Our people seem to think that China does not respect South Korea that much after the former gained clout on the global scene,’’ Kang said.

``Such a belief has appeared to have taken firm root over the past several years, in particular in the aftermath of the Cheonan sinking and Yeonpyeong shelling, in my view. By now, people with a favorable view of China could number much lower than 38 percent.’’

In 2000, the former Kim Dae-jung administration jacked up customs duties on Chinese garlic from 30 percent to as high as 315 percent to protect Korean farmers from cheap Chinese imports.

A week after this, the Chinese government countered the move by restricting imports of made-in-Korea handsets, which prompted Seoul to back off by cutting the tariffs after quick negotiations.

Since then, the Seoul administration has been under criticism that it takes a very low-key approach in its diplomatic relations with China.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences carried out a multi-million-dollar project from 2002 through 2006 claiming Korea’s ancient kingdoms in its northeastern territory as its own states, causing public uproar here.

``It is intriguing that we tend to like the United States more when we dislike China. In other words, they are kind of mirror images for us. It is the reason why the U.S. is popular at the moment,’’ Kang said.

Favorable views of the U.S. were 46 percent in 2003 but rose to 70 percent in 2008 and 79 percent this year, the third highest among the 22 countries Pew Research surveyed.

voc200@koreatimes.co.kr