Most Filipinos see US as top ally; prefers having economic ties with US over China — poll

MANILA, Philippines — Majority of Filipinos do not only see the United States as the Philippines’ top ally, they also prefer having strong economic ties with the first-world country over China, a recent survey of the Washington-based think tank Pew Research Center revealed.

Results of the survey released on Dec. 5 found that 64 percent of Filipinos believe they can rely on the US as a dependable ally in the future while only nine percent of Filipinos saw China as a dependable ally.

Most Filipinos, or 84 percent, also named the US as the world leading economy while 59 percent named China.

Pew said that those who named the US as the world’s leading economy “are more likely to prefer strong economic ties with the US.”

In a separate survey, Pew found that 62 percent of Filipinos see China as the country that poses the greatest threat to the Philippines in the future, while only five percent named US, four percent chose Russia, and three percent voted Japan.

In terms of China’s economic stature, Filipinos were divided, with 48 percent saying that China’s growing economy bodes ill for the country, while 47 percent welcome it.

Filipinos are also divided on investment from China with 49 percent saying it is a bad thing, while 45 percent believes it is a good thing.

The think tank has observed China’s neighbors generally take a “much more negative stance” towards China’s military and economic growth than other countries surveyed.

The survey found that in the Asia-Pacific region, more countries tend to see investment from China as a “potential liability,” giving too much influence over their economies.

“These same countries are also more likely than others to see U.S. economic influence in their country positively. And, when it comes to developed countries, views of China are much more mixed to negative,” the report read.

“Generally, countries with stronger human rights records and lower levels of corruption tend to be much less keen on China,” it added.

The Pew survey was conducted among 38,426 people in 34 countries from May 13 to Oct. 2 this year. A total of 1,035 Filipinos adult respondents were surveyed, using face-to-face interviews, with a margin of error at 4.3 percentage points.

In a separate survey from the Social Weather Stations, it was also found out that majority, or 78 percent, of Filipinos believe that the Philippines’ relationship with the United States is more important than its relationship with China.