WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Approval of U.S. leadership in Asia has seen its share of ups and downs over the last two years as the Bush era ended and the Obama era began. So far in 2010, approval ratings remain higher than they were in 2008 in 10 out of the 18 countries surveyed. Approval increased most in Australia and New Zealand and declined most in Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, where residents are now significantly more uncertain.
Views of U.S. leadership in 2010 vary considerably across Asia, with as many as 77% approving in Singapore and as few as 18% approving in Pakistan and India. While Pakistanis' high disapproval (68%) of U.S. leadership largely explains their low approval number, the high percentage of Indians (72%) who don't have an opinion largely explains theirs. Indians who do offer an opinion are more likely to approve than disapprove.
In fact, in many other countries in the region where approval is lowest -- Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Indonesia -- about half or more of respondents do not have an opinion about U.S. leadership, but those who do are more likely to approve than disapprove. The number of respondents who express uncertainty about U.S. leadership has increased significantly since 2008 in India, Vietnam, Nepal, and Indonesia.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries surveyed where a majority express disapproval of U.S. leadership, at 68% and 54%, respectively. Approval in these two countries has varied over the last few years.
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While U.S. approval ratings have improved dramatically in several Asian countries since 2008, a majority of Afghans and Pakistanis do not share this positive view. This highlights the importance of building on positive perceptions in neighboring India and Bangladesh -- where residents are more likely to approve than disapprove -- to shore up support in South Asia. U.S. leadership has gained traction in parts of Asia, but the rising proportion of those who don't have an opinion suggests it may be losing some of its visibility in several areas.
Explore trends in U.S. leadership approval in more than 150 countries that Gallup surveys around the world.
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Survey Methods
Results are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 6,000 adults in India, 1,050 adults in Indonesia, 1,000 adults Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2010. Results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults in Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea and 750 adults Japan and Hong Kong, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2010.
For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error in 2010 ranged from a low of ±1.7 percentage points in India to a high of ±4.5 percentage points in Hong Kong.
Results are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 3,000 adults in India, 1,050 adults in Indonesia, and 1,000 adults in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, and 840 adults in Pakistan, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2009. Results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults in Japan and South Korea and 750 adults Hong Kong, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2009.
For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error in 2009 ranged from a low of ±2.6 percentage points in India to a high of ±4.3 percentage points in Hong Kong.
Results are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 2,000 adults in India, 1,500 adults in Singapore, 1,050 adults in Indonesia, and 1,000 adults in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, and 840 adults in Pakistan, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2008. Results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults in Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, and 750 adults in Japan and Hong Kong, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2008.
For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error in 2008 ranged from a low of ±2.9 percentage points in Singapore to a high of ±4.3 percentage points in Hong Kong.
