中国を世界一の大国と見なす欧米人、コロナ流行後に増加　世論調査

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】新型コロナウイルスのパンデミック（世界的な大流行）を経て、中国を世界一の大国と見なす欧米人が増加したことが、6月30日に公表された世論調査の結果で明らかになった。米国を世界一の大国と見なす回答が依然最も多かったが、その割合は減少している。（写真は資料写真）
　米シンクタンクのドイツ・マーシャル基金が公表したフランス、ドイツ、米国における世論調査の結果によると、新型コロナウイルス感染症（ＣＯＶＩＤ-１９）の流行以降、中国の影響力に対する認識が著しく高まっている。
　この間、中国は一方では新型ウイルス流行の発生源として、他方では感染症対策の援助国として描かれてきた。
　今年１月と５月に行われた調査を比較すると、中国を世界で最も影響力のある大国だとする回答の割合は、フランスで１３％から２８％に、ドイツで１２％から２０％に、米国で６％から１４％にそれぞれ増加した。
　ドイツ・マーシャル基金パリ事務所のマルタン・クエンセス副所長は、「世界における中国の影響力は（コロナ）危機の前はやや抽象的な概念だった」が、「例えばマスクや医療物資一つとっても、中国への依存度を考えた時、非常に具体性をもった」と分析。
　同氏は、中国に対する認識の変化は世代や政治路線の違いを超えてみられるといい、今後も影響が持続すると予想。「危機に対する短期的な反応というよりも、もっと構造的なもののように思える」と指摘した。
　調査では、最も影響力が強い国を米国と答えた人々が、仏独米３か国すべてで依然最も多かったが、以前ほど圧倒的な多数ではなかった。
　フランスでは、米国を世界一の大国と見なす人々の割合は１月の６７％から、５月には５５％に落ち込んだ。ドイツでも同様の結果が報告された。
　この世論調査は、ドイツのベルテルスマン財団と仏パリのモンテーニュ研究所が共同で実施し、各国で１月９～２２日と５月１１～１９日の期間、それぞれ１０００人超を対象に行われた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/07/02-13:02）

The coronavirus pandemic has led a growing number of Westerners to see China as a top power, with the lead of the United States slipping, a study said Tuesday.
A survey of French, German and US opinion released by the German Marshall Fund of the United States found significant increases in perceptions of Chinese influence since the outbreak of COVID-19 -- in which Beijing has alternately been portrayed as a culprit and an aid provider.
The proportion of people who said China was the most influential global player shot up from 13 to 28 percent in France between surveys in January to May, from 12 to 20 percent in Germany and from six to 14 percent in the United States.
Chinese influence in the world was kind of an abstract idea before the crisis, said Martin Quencez, deputy director of the German Marshall Fund's Paris office.
When you think about the dependency on China for mask and medical equipment, for instance, this has become very concrete, he said.
Quencez expected a lasting impact, saying that the changes in perceptions were seen across generational and political lines.
It seems more structural than just a quick response to the crisis, he said.
The public in all three countries still said that the United States was the most influential nation but less overwhelmingly.
In France, 55 percent of people said the United States was the top global player in May, down from 67 percent in January. Similar figures were reported in Germany.
One comparative loser was the European Union, which the French and Germans had put solidly in second place, over China, before the pandemic.
Despite China's perceived influence, the survey found that majorities in both Germany and France said their countries should get tougher on Beijing over climate change, human rights and cybersecurity.
The figures were lower in the United States, possibly because President Donald Trump's administration has already been championing a hard line and pushing Europe to do likewise.
The Trump administration has blamed COVID-19 on poor management in China, where the virus was first detected late last year.
Critics say Trump is trying to deflect from his own handling of COVID-19 in the United States, which has suffered by far the highest death toll of any country.
The survey also showed a sharp transatlantic divide on the influence of Britain, which left the European Union this year.
Fifty-three percent of Americans said Britain was the most influential country in Europe, an opinion shared by just eight percent of Germans and six percent of French.
The study, conducted with the Bertelsmann Foundation in Germany and Institut Montaigne in Paris, surveyed more than 1,000 different people in each country both from January 9-22 and May 11-19.