A survey report released by the Pew Research Center on the 23rd here shows that since Obama took office as President of the United States in January this year, America's international image has improved. However, the Islamic world still harbors deep doubts about the United States.
Compared to a similar survey conducted last year, the proportion of people with a favorable view of the United States decreased only in Israel among the 25 countries and regions surveyed. The proportion of people with a favorable view of the United States increased by more than 10% in 11 countries and regions, with some Western European countries and Indonesia showing the largest increases.
In 21 of these countries and regions, an average of 71% of respondents expressed at least some degree of trust in Obama's handling of international affairs. In contrast, a similar survey conducted last year showed that only 17% of people had a similar view of then-President George W. Bush.
The report suggests that measures announced by Obama after taking office, such as the decision to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and the establishment of a timeline for withdrawing troops from Iraq, have received widespread approval worldwide and are important reasons for the improvement of America's image.
However, the survey also indicates that in the Islamic world, especially in Pakistan, Turkey, and the Palestinian territories, the majority of the public still holds deep skepticism and distrust towards U.S. policies and motives, with the proportion of people holding a favorable view of the United States being less than 20%. Additionally, in all surveyed countries and regions, most people remain concerned about the United States' unilateral tendencies in economic and cultural policies.
This survey was conducted between May 19 and June 14 of this year, with approximately 27,000 people participating in face-to-face or telephone interviews.
