Poll: Public sees smaller threat in China economy

Fewer people in the United States view China’s economy as a critical threat compared to the last two years, according to a survey released by Gallup Thursday.

Forty percent said they view China’s economy as a critical threat, down from 52 percent in 2013 and 2014.

Gallup found that the public views China’s economy as more of an important threat, as compared to critical, or not an important threat at all.

{mosads}Twelve percent identified China as the U.S.’s greatest enemy; Russia and North Korea ranked higher on the list. Those two countries, along with Iran and Iraq, rank high on the list because of their threats to national security, Gallup said.

Since 2001, the public’s perception of China has become more positive as its government has become more transparent. Views of China became negative in the late 1980s after the Tiananmen Square incident. Its favorable rating dropped from 72 percent in 1989 to 34 percent only a few months later.

The poll surveyed 837 adults between Feb. 8 to 11 with a 4 percentage point margin of error.