Filipinos view China as potential ally

July 31, 2021, PUBLiCUS Asia Inc has just released its second quarter poll, conducted from 13-19 July 2021. It is a nationwide purposive sampling survey comprised of 1,500 respondents drawn from a research panel of approximately 100,000 Filipino registered voters maintained by a Singapore-based firm.

With the challenging relationship with China from our foreign affairs and defense departments and the ongoing West Philippine Sea issues, Filipinos have held back their judgement in categorizing China as a clear friend or foe. Taking 53% result in China being a friend or enemy to the Philippines. Although the share of respondents that views China as a threat is slightly higher than those who share the view that China is a friend.

The survey also shows that lower income and higher income brackets tend to see China as a friend. Moreover, respondents in the poor bracket tend to believe that China is an enemy of the Philippines is extremely low.

Filipinos are more inclined to adapt a diplomatic and bilateral relationship with China more than any sort of aggression. Although the survey clearly supports the ramping up and strengthening of the Philippine Armed Forces (Philippine Navy) alongside bilateral solutions for the West Philippine Sea.

The survey is an independent, non-commissioned, national poll covering eight (8) modules measured: state of the economy and economic prospects, COVID-19 vaccine tracker, national issues, scorecard for national leaders and institutions emotional quotient of incumbent and prospective leaders, media consumption habits and responses to media campaigns, predisposition, and the Duterte administration scorecard.