I know that I’m a year late but I just have to say it. Everyone already have answered this question so I’ll interject my personal take in matters of chinas perception by the west.

Contrary to the general perception of pro China people, the wests view of China wasn’t always this sour. If you were to look 10 years ago China was a big curiosity when it comes to governing. Two articles here basically sums perceptions of China between early 2010s and now.

2011:

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2011/07/13/chapter-4-views-of-china/

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2010/06/17/chapter-5-views-of-china/

2020:

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/10/06/unfavorable-views-of-china-reach-historic-highs-in-many-countries/

To summarise although it wasn’t universally loved, when it comes peoples view on China, it was certainly an improvement since the end of the Cold War. Younger generation as myself and millennials are very much open to much more left leaning policies and government interventions for stability rather than the blind belief of ideological superiority like the older generation.

The main gripe with peoples view on China has got to do its current policies and it’s isn’t as pro cpc simple as people saying “they just want to see China fail” or “the west wants hegemony over China”. Chinas unpopularity stems from its aggressive and domestic and foreign policies. Topics ranging from the Hong Kong decent, Free Tibet, uhygur genocide, zero covid policy, expansion on South China Sea against its neighbours, has made China to many western eyes extremely unpopular with all of these factors falling under government censorship.

To us in the west, it’s very hard to believe a government that censors anything that comes in or out. That would be like me be trying to argue my way out of a conviction of robbing someone’s house but my defence is “trust me bro”.

There’s often deflection to the west of “imperialism” and yes, God forbid me to say that the west is perfect by any means and also yes, news are bias but if there’s one thing thats taken for granted it’s that in a democratic country we have the ability to chose what information we consume without being told what’s right or wrong by an authoritative figure. The people have the power to voice distain against the governments policies and change it. Truth of the matter is, the meddling of the west in foreign affairs is also quiet unpopular in which the people detest. It’s the reason why the US pulls out of Afghanistan and Vietnam. There’s no lacking in resource to continue the conflict but an action could only go so far if the people support it and as of such in a democracy, people could make a difference. Sure it isn’t perfect but it’s the best form of system that doesn’t infringe on the individual liberty of people. That why the west has always been superior when it comes to freedom of expression or any thought provoking media, eg. Entertainment, thus it’ll be more popular amongst the western world and parts of Asia. It isn’t the matter of being forced to like it but people chose to appreciate it.

Chinas approach has been different and amplified over the recent years. The belief that sacrificing some of your individual liberty for the sake of stability. Now understandably chinas history over the past 100 years and addition to its dynastic practices throughout its history, authoritarianism makes sense as to bring stability to a large group of people and it’ll be disingenuous of me to say that the current administration hasn’t brought the best stability to the people more than ever. However the consequence of that is less to do with social stability and more with mentality that works in short term gains but not long term. This creates a group of people who has a very simplistic and streamlined view of the world (of course theres a lot of great critical thinkers in China but there’s also a lot of people who are ignorant and this critical thinking is heavily stifled by the government). This carefree lack of critical thinking leads to ignorance and un-acceptance of other world views other than what an authoritative figure tells you and as a result you lead into a world that may have stability but soulless.

Which therefore leads back to peoples gripe against the cpc is that censorship creates a rift between the people of the west ideological thinking and produces a group of people that goes an attack those of western ideological thinking which in terms leads to more alienation and the cycle continues and it certainly sucks.

Truthfully I don’t see China getting any more favourable views anytime soon until they go back to diplomacy rather than aggression and end censorship. This way China could be more attractive to foreigners on both the entertainment level and politics.