UTICA, N.Y. (Reuters/Zogby) - The number of Americans favoring a better record of human rights and religious freedom prior to admitting China to the global trade system has dropped by over 10 percentage points in the three months since similar research was conducted by Zogby International.
In a February Zogby poll of 1,024 likely voters nationwide, 55.4% felt that the United States should use the lure of a permanent open market and global trade status to force China to adopt better policies in regard to human rights and religious freedom.
Another 29.7% said we should move toward an open trade relationship without any conditions.
When the same question was asked in a November Reuters/Zogby poll, two-thirds (66.5%) preferred waiting for China to improve its human rights record, and only 23.5% wanted to establish an unconditional trading relationship.
A slim majority of respondents identifying themselves as political liberals in the February survey did not approve of trading freely with a China, while in November almost 70% of the same group answered similarly.
What we asked:
"In your opinion, should the U.S. have a permanent open market with China and admit the country to the global trade system, or should the U.S. insist on better human rights and freedom of religion before we establish a permanent open market?":
