Beijing: China's international standing as an economic powerhouse is facing a decline, particularly among high- and middle-income nations, according to a recent report by the Pew Research Center, as cited by Al Jazeera.

The survey, which encompassed 24 nations, including the United States, Mexico, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Nigeria, Japan, and India, revealed that a significant 67 per cent of respondents held unfavorable opinions about Beijing, while only 28 per cent had positive perceptions.

Notably, negative views towards China were most pronounced in high-income nations like Australia, Sweden, South Korea, and Japan. The United States, in particular, demonstrated high levels of skepticism, with 50 per cent of respondents naming China as the greatest threat to Washington in an open-ended question, while 17 per cent considered Moscow a threat.

In contrast, respondents from countries such as Indonesia, Nigeria, and Mexico expressed more positive views of China, possibly due to its role in providing 5G internet to middle-income nations and investments through initiatives like the Belt and Road infrastructure project. However, in India, 67 per cent of respondents shared negative views of China.

The survey also revealed a division on the perception of China's economic power, with 33 per cent of respondents naming China as the world's top economic power and 42 per cent choosing the United States.

Despite China's efforts to rebrand itself as a global peacemaker, such as brokering ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran and offering to play a similar role in Ukraine and Palestine, its endeavors seem to have faltered. In fact, 71 per cent of respondents stated that they believe China "does not contribute to global peace and stability," and 57 per cent considered China an interventionist in global affairs, contrary to the image China has tried to project.

Meanwhile, China's domestic economy has been facing new challenges, as pointed out by top leaders during a meeting of the 24-person Politburo. Held annually at the end of July, this meeting took place in 2023 as the post-COVID recovery in the world's second-largest economy showed signs of stalling, partly due to sluggish consumer spending. In response, the Politburo has called for precise and effective macroeconomic regulation, countercyclical regulation, and policy reserves, along with efforts to boost domestic consumption and timely adjustments and optimization of real estate policies.

China's global image as an economic powerhouse is evidently undergoing scrutiny, with varying perceptions across different nations, affecting its reputation in the international arena. As it faces economic challenges at home, the way China navigates these issues will likely shape its standing in the world in the coming years.