The latest research from Pew Research Center on found a growing concern among Chinese people regarding the growing challenges as the country experience rapid economic growth. Many worried about the increasing corruption, inequality, rising prices and pollution.
Based on data from the research, the main concern in China is inflation. Six out of ten respondents believed the growing prices as a big problem. The rate of respondents who believed that corruption in China is a major problem increased to 50 percent from 39 percent in 2008. Thirty two percent (32%) of the respondents believes that corruption among businessmen is also a big problem in China.
The number of people who considered the inequality between the rich and the poor as a serious problem increased to 48 percent. According to the survey, eight in ten respondents (81 percent) agree with the idea that in China, the “rich just get richer while the poor get poorer.”
The number of respondents who are worried about food safety increased significantly from 12 percent in 2008 to 41 percent this year. The number of people concerned about the safety of medicine in China rose from 9 percent four years ago to 28 percent this year, and 33 percent are troubled about the quality of manufacturing goods.
An increasing percentage of people are also worried about having social safety net. People concern about the rate of old age insurance climb from 13 percent to 28 percent while the concern about health insurance also increased from 12 percent to 26 percent. The research also found that Chinese people consider water and air pollution a big problem.
Most Chinese also expressed concern about the changes in society. Six in ten (57%) respondents worry that China’s traditional way of life is slowly vanishing, and 71 percent of the respondents their traditional lifestyle$ should be protected against foreign influence.
According to the research, 70 percent in China said their financial situation was better than their economic condition five years ago. Three out of four Chinese believe that life is better off in a free market economy.
Some Chinese have reservations regarding their government’s relations with the United States. Chinese view that America’s relationship with China as one cooperation declined from 69 percent in 2008 to the current 39 percent but many still like the American democracy, science and technology. The number of respondents who think that China’s relationship with the United States is hostile is 26 percent.
The percentage of Chinese with positive perception about the United States declined from 58 percent in 2010 to 43 percent this year. The confidence for President Barack Obama also decreased from 52 percent to 38 percent.
The Pew Research Center ‘s Global Attitudes project conducted face to face interviews with 3,177 respondents between March 18 and April 15. Approximately 64 percent of the respondents represents the adult population in China.
