Only 30% of US public think China trade has created jobs in their state: survey

A mere 30 per cent of the American public believe trade with China has created “some or a lot of jobs” in their state, a new study revealed in the lead-up to the US election.

The East-West Centre, a Washington-based research organisation, found in a survey that a slight majority of the American public – more than 55 per cent – did not know the impacts on job creation of trading with Asia in general or with China in particular.

Respondents who were categorised as members of the US general public were also less worried than stateside political and business elites about the country losing its trade competitiveness to China.

Only 36 per cent of these respondents said they were “moderately or extremely concerned” compared to more than half of the surveyed political and business elites who felt that way.

The report polled about 1,000 people in January and February this year from the American general public and another 1,000 political officials and business leaders on their perceptions towards US engagement with Asia, such as trade with China.

America’s economic engagement with China has frequently been spotlighted in the 2024 presidential race.