Feelings towards other countries
For the first time, China has slipped to the bottom of the Lowy Institute ‘feelings thermometer’, a measurement of Australians’ perceptions about countries, territories and institutions on a scale of 0° (coldest feelings) to 100° (warmest feelings). China registers a very cool 32°, a 7-degree drop this year, and a striking 26-degree cooling since 2018. In 2020, this place on the thermometer was held by Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Feelings towards Iran in 2021 remain very cold at 34°. Feelings towards Russia and Myanmar continue their cooling trend, with both rating 41° among Australians this year. Australians also feel coolly towards Qatar, at 44°.
Both India (56°) and Indonesia (55°) mark a 4-degree improvement since 2020. Feelings towards Hong Kong have remained stable in 2021 at 57°. Views of Papua New Guinea have warmed in 2021 to 60°, a 4-degree lift since 2020. Australians rate the Pacific Islands Forum a warm 66°.
Feelings towards Taiwan have increased by 5 degrees to 62° since 2020. Feelings towards South Korea have rebounded to 61° this year after a dip in 2020. Warmth towards both Germany and the European Union has remained steady in 2021, at 69°and 62° respectively. Australians also feel warmly towards Thailand (62°) and the Philippines (57°, a cooling of 4 degrees since 2018).
Feelings towards the United States sit at a steady 62° in the first year of Biden’s administration, unchanged from 2020, and similar to the first year of the Obama presidency (64°). However, this reading is six degrees lower than the 68° recorded in the first year of the Trump administration.
Feelings towards Japan have warmed since 2020, increasing 4 degrees to 73°. Sentiment towards the United Kingdom has warmed 2 degrees to 76° since 2020, though this remains 6 degrees lower than in 2018. New Zealand again leads the Lowy Institute ‘feelings thermometer’ in 2021, receiving a very warm 87°, steady from 2019.
Feelings towards other nations
Please rate your feelings towards some countries and territories, with one hundred meaning a very warm, favourable feeling, zero meaning a very cold, unfavourable feeling, and fifty meaning not particularly warm or cold. You can use any number from zero to one hundred: the higher the number the more favourable your feelings are toward that country or territory. If you have no opinion or have never heard of that country or territory, please say so.
In 2006, this question asked respondents about their feelings towards ‘countries and peoples’. From 2007 to 2018, this question asked respondents about their feelings towards ‘countries’. Until 2015, this question asked respondents about ‘Great Britain’, and from 2015 to 2019, respondents were asked about ‘United Kingdom (Great Britain)’. Until 2019, this question asked respondents about ‘Myanmar/Burma’. Until 2023, this question asked respondents about ‘East Timor’.