By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – Majority of Filipinos have expressed distrust toward China, considering it as the “greatest threat” to the Philippines, according to the latest survey results released by OCTA Research.
Around 85 percent of Filipinos distrust China, while only 15 percent convey the opposite sentiment, OCTA found in a Tugon ng Masa survey conducted from July 12 to 17.
OCTA noted that Filipinos’ distrust stems mainly from China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Other reasons include the influx of smuggled products from China, the rise in crimes involving Chinese nationals, and job competition from Chinese workers.
Results of OCTA survey also showed that 74 percent of Filipinos view China as “greatest threat” to the Philippines, far higher than the 4 percent who picked Russia or North Korea.
OCTA said Filipinos “not only view China as a direct threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also express concerns about its economic activities and social impact on local industries and communities.”
About 76 percent support efforts to protect and assert sovereign rights over the Philippines’ territory.
Support was highest in Metro Manila (89 percent), followed by Mindanao (86 percent), the Visayas (78 percent), and Balance Luzon (67 percent).
The survey was carried out through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents nationwide with a margin of ±3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level. (PNA)
