Almost all Pakistanis have a very positive view of Iron Brother China and its consistent support to Pakistan and they consider China as their trusted friend, a survey revealed, according to Gwadar Pro on Friday. As part of the Sinophone Borderlands public opinion survey in Pakistan in June 2022, over 1,200 Pakistani respondents were asked two open-ended questions about their perception of China. Respondents are drawn from all regions of Pakistan and included a representative sample of age groups and genders. The same questions have also been asked in many other countries but Pakistanis gave the most positive answers. The first survey question asks what first comes to people’s minds when thinking of China. The most common answers, as the word cloud reveals, were “friend,” “best friend,” “good friend,” and “trusted friend.” Chinese people are perceived as friendly and hardworking.

The country itself is seen as being strong, and developed, with many respondents labeling it a superpower. Also, China is seen as helpful and supportive of Pakistan. The connection between the two countries is described as a “brotherhood” and many people celebrate it by saying “long live Pakistan-China friendship.” The second question asks whether people’s general view of China get better or worse during the previous three years and why. An overwhelming majority of the Pakistani respondents (85 percent) gave a positive answer. An overwhelming majority focused mostly on China’s support to Pakistan in the form of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Chinese investment, or China’s COVID-19 support.

The results prompt an important question: Why are the attitudes of Pakistanis so overwhelmingly positive toward China, and why so much more so than in other countries? The answer is that their positive attitudes are linked to China’s long-term support for Pakistan, especially through CPEC, and Pakistan’s otherwise rather isolated position in South Asia, where it lacks other firm allies. In particular, the positive attitude correlates with Chinese investments flowing into the country under the label of CPEC, which was frequently mentioned by the respondents. Transport and energy infrastructure, so badly needed in Pakistan, have been built. New power plants have added energy to Pakistan’s power grid. Roads and railways are being constructed. Nevertheless, what drives China’s popularity among the citizens of Pakistan is that China is really Pakistan’s stalwart ally. It is the only country that is currently willing to invest massively in Pakistan. It is certainly encouraging for the growth of China-Pakistan relations that people in Pakistan are so positive about their close friend.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP