Argentines have positive view of China, distrust U.S.

Argentines harbor a notable distrust towards the United States, while viewing China as a trusted partner in the path to development, according to a survey released on Friday.

Argentines "look critically at the United States' military presence around the globe" and have "a high degree of 'contempt or 'indifference' for Washington," the La Nacion daily quoted the survey results as saying.

The survey was carried out by two private universities -- the University of Torcuato Di Tella and the University of San Andres -- and sponsored by three different organizations -- the CAF Development Bank of Latin America as well as the Konrad Adenauer and Vidanta foundations.

The Argentine chapter of the study, titled "The Americas and the world", surveyed 1,030 people on questions such as which countries "generate the least confidence in maintaining world peace".

The United States leads the list, with a whopping 45 percent of respondents saying it cannot be trusted in the area of peacekeeping. It is very distantly followed by Russia with 14 percent.

There was a pervasive distrust of the United States, with 47.5 percent saying they had zero trust in the country, while 29.3 percent went so far as to say they view Washington as a "threat," the daily said.

In contrast, the daily reported that China and France are identified in another category as the countries that generate the most confidence in peacekeeping matters with 17.6 percent and 16.12 percent approvals respectively.

"China ... has a different standing among Argentines: 52 percent of respondents believe it would be 'positive' for the Chinese economy to grow to be as big as the United States," La Nacion said.

Juan Tokatlian, a Di Tella University professor who helped coordinate the study, believes "the trust in China is a blend of the dividends generated by the exchange with Beijing and its financial projection, and the unfavorable view of the United States." Endi