War in Iraq costs U.S. friends in Asia: Survey<\/p>\n
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Hong Kong<\/p>\n
The conflict in Iraq has cost the U.S. friends in Asia with most
\nof the region skeptical about Washington's foreign policy and the
\nwar on terror, a survey indicated on Monday.<\/p>\n
However, there is a clear split between countries that support
\nand oppose the U.S. with the Philippines emerging as George W.
\nBush's biggest supporter and Indonesia its strongest critic.<\/p>\n
Seventy eight percent of people in the Philippines said they
\nfelt positive towards the U.S., followed by Singapore where the
\nU.S. got a 42 percent approval rating and Taiwan where 39 percent
\nwere pro-American.<\/p>\n
While Vietnam, Japan and South Korea were largely neutral in
\ntheir opinion about the U.S., 59 percent of Indonesians were
\nnegative while 47 percent of Hong Kong people and 38 percent of
\nMalaysians had negative opinions.<\/p>\n
On U.S. foreign policy, the Philippines again came out on top
\nwith 61 percent voicing positive views. Fifty two percent of
\nrespondents in both Singapore and Taiwan also expressed positive
\nviews.<\/p>\n
The country most critical of U.S. foreign policy was Indonesia
\nwhere 57 percent were negative followed by Japan (56 percent
\nnegative), South Korea (43 percent negative), Hong Kong (37
\npercent negative) and Malaysia (32 percent negative).<\/p>\n
When asked about the war on terror, more than 60 percent of
\npeople in the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam said
\nthey felt positively about the U.S. role while more than half of
\npeople in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia
\nfelt negatively.<\/p>\n
People in Asia were far more positive on their opinion of the
\nU.S. when asked about its contribution to the world economy, the
\nsurvey conducted by Gallup International and market research
\ncompany TNS found.<\/p>\n
Only in South Korea and Malaysia did a higher proportion of
\npeople believe the U.S. had a more negative than positive impact
\non the economy.<\/p>\n
James Hall, regional manager of TNS Asia Pacific, said of the
\nfindings: "Although on particular issues Asia appears divided,
\nthere remains an overall widespread low opinion of the U.S.<\/p>\n
"Most probably this low opinion comes as a result of the
\nU.S.'s highly unpopular decision to proceed with military action
\nin Iraq which ... Asia was particularly opposed to."<\/p>\n
The interviews in nine Asian countries and territories were
\namong 50,000 conducted worldwide for the Gallup and TNS survey.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/war-in-iraq-costs-us-friends-in-asia-survey-1447893297",
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