The latest figures from a July 30-August 12 Gallup survey of 1,031 US adults show that 41 percent of the polled approve of US President Donald Trump’s handling of foreign affairs, which is down from 48 percent in early February. Roughly 57 percent disapprove of the president’s handling of relations with China specifically.
The poll results didn’t clarify how the survey was configured and whether those frowning on Trump’s China policy believe it’s too tough or not tough enough. It comes as no surprise if their disapproval stems from dissatisfaction with Trump going too far in his China policy.
The Trump administration’s current China policy is overdone and unreliable. Those who have a sober and clear understanding of China-US relations will never support Trump’s policy. Devoid of rationality, the Trump administration has gone too far in smearing, suppressing and containing China. The US is implementing a radical China policy that could destroy bilateral relations.
The Trump administration is scapegoating China for its own disastrous response to the COVID-19 epidemic by alleging China as “a liar to cover up the pandemic” and “a vicious spreader of the virus.” Many Americans may not buy it. Some Americans may support the US to deal with China in a harsher way than the one adopted under the former president Barack Obama administration. But they don’t believe the US should go so far as to take nosedive with bilateral relations as the Trump administration is doing.
–The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
