Illustration: Tang Tengfei/GT

More than 90 percent of Chinese netizens who responded to a Global Times online survey said they disapproved of the US. Such strong negative sentiment will inevitably impact US businesses, and the potential impact shouldn't be neglected.

The overwhelming result shows that Chinese people's views of the US are changing due to the Trump administration's accelerating moves toward a decoupling. The US' relentless crackdown on China in various of areas and its inadequate performance in the fight against the coronavirus are drastically catalyzing the ongoing change in sentiment.

Generally speaking, the Chinese people have not been fond of the US in the past, but viewed it as a capable country. However, the pandemic has shown the incompetence of the US government, and many now look at the US in a new light.

As the raging COVID-19 pandemic casts a shadow over the global economy, China's economy has shown signs of a robust recovery since it successfully controlled the virus outbreak in the second quarter. 

China's second-quarter GDP growth was 3.2 percent while other key economies saw significant declines. The US economy plunged at an annual rate of 32.9 percent in the second quarter, and Germany's GDP dropped 10.1 percent compared to the previous quarter.

A number of US companies suffered great losses in the first half of the year, and China's vast market is of great significance to them. But more and more Chinese consumers hold increasingly negative views of the US, and that sentiment will have an impact on whether or not they buy US products, particularly consumer goods.

Chinese consumer preference for US products and brands has been impacted. In a Global Times survey in July, respondents were asked which country's products and brands had declined in their personal preferences. 63.7 percent of respondents chose the US.

In 2020 or 2021, China may continue to lead economic performances among economic powers. And the US' ongoing efforts to decouple from China - efforts hoping to win US President Donald Trump a second term in office - will indirectly impact the sales of US products in the Chinese market. The misjudgments of US politicians come at the expense of US businesses.

As the US Federal Reserve's unlimited quantitative easing has seemingly had little effect in stimulating economic recovery, financial risks are accumulating amid the pandemic. That is shaking the US' status as safe haven for international capital, and its crackdown on Chinese tech companies are shaking up its role as a reliable supplier. China could take the position the US is giving up.

Increasing disapproval of US products and strong support for retaliatory measures among China's consumers don't necessarily mean the Chinese government will take measures against US businesses, unless they are participating in actions such as arms deals with the island of Taiwan. The Chinese government will commit to creating an open business environment for foreign businesses.

The article was compiled based on an interview with Mei Xinyu, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn