In a new ABCNEWS.com poll, 35 percent of the public name China as the most threatening nation to peace, 22 points ahead of second-place finisher Iraq. Russia and the United States hold the next two slots with 10 percent and 8 percent, respectively. And rounding out the top five is Iran, at 5 percent.
As the global landscape has changed, so has the list. These results are markedly different from 10 years ago, the last time this question was asked. Then, Russia placed first, Iraq came in a close second, and China was named by just one in 10 people. And back in 1981, in the midst of the Cold War, the Soviet Union went unchallenged — it was named by a whopping 72 percent.
Greatest Threat to World Peace?
|
|
| China |
Iraq |
Russia |
U.S. |
Iran |
Today |
35% |
13 |
10 |
8 |
5 |
1991 |
10 |
20 |
25 |
7 |
5 |
1981 |
5 |
na |
72 |
7 |
5 |
Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is scheduled to visit China this week, called on that nation to take steps toward creating a democratic system and to improve its human rights policies. There's hope that the selection of Beijing as host of the 2008 Olympic games will force China to better its record.
Dividing Lines
China places first among all demographic groups, albeit by varying margins. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to name China as the biggest threat to peace — about half of Republicans do so, compared to 28 percent of Democrats. And men are 13 points more apt than women are to name China; women are twice as likely to have no opinion.
Methodology
This ABCNEWS.com survey was conducted by telephone July 18-22 among a random national sample of 1,022 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation were done by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.
ABCNEWS polls can be found on the Internet in our Poll Vault.
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