A Primer for Vice President Xi Jinping: Young Americans View China as a Threat; List National Debt and Indebtedness to Foreign Powers as America's Top National Security Issues

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Feb 14, 2012, 06:55 ET

Future Chinese leader tours America, engages in multiple press events to improve China's image with stops in DC, Iowa, and California

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Chinese Vice President Xi embarks on a five-day tour of the United States, which includes trips to the District of Columbia, Iowa, and California, Generation Opportunity is highlighting results from its national poll demonstrating how America's young adults view threats to America, American national security, and its relationship to federal spending. The poll focuses specifically on young Americans ages 18-29 and reveals the opinions of young Americans on issues such as indebtedness to China, U.S. debt, and a variety of economic challenges.

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Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to assume control of the Chinese Communist Party later this year and to then become president of China in 2013.

The poll reveals that 76 percent of young American adults view China as either an economic or military threat, 62 percent believe the top American national security issue is the U.S. debt – followed by energy dependency and indebtedness to foreign powers – and over 70 percent indicated very big concerns about America's deficit.

"Young Americans are very strong in their belief that America is an exceptional nation, but they believe that our growing debt, our indebtedness to foreign powers, like communist China, and our dependency on foreign sources of energy pose a threat to our national security. As vice president Xi tours America, he should understand that the overwhelming majority of young Americans view the Chinese government as an economic or military threat and that they are committed to increasing American economic and energy independence so that the United States remains a global leader.

"It is hard for Americans, especially young adults, to be impressed by foreign leaders who deny their citizens the basic human freedoms of speech and religious expression, especially in the age of social media and global commerce," said Paul T. Conway, president of Generation Opportunity and the former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Labor under Secretary Elaine L. Chao. Conway has also served as an official at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is an alumnus of the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

To reduce these vulnerabilities and manage America's national security challenges, young Americans believe elected officials in Washington, D.C. need to get the country on more stable economic footing by cutting federal spending rather than raising taxes. They also believe the U.S. needs to increase the production of domestic energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal.

Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4 percent margin of error) and highlights some of the results below.

The China Threat:

76 percent of Young Americans view China as a danger:
- 48 percent as an economic threat
- 28 percent as both an economic and military threat.

American National Security:

Top 3 greatest threats to American National Security: National Debt (62 percent), Energy Dependency (61 percent) and Indebtedness to Foreign Powers (50 percent). The threat of terrorism at (39 percent) followed as the fourth major national security concern.
71 percent indicated very big concerns about America's "deficit."
70 percent (net) would increase production of domestic energy sources like oil, natural gas and coal.

American Exceptionalism:

56 percent – more than half – indicated their agreement with "American Exceptionalism" – described as an ideal of freedom and democracy exclusive and unique to the United States.

Young Americans Views on Washington Leaders and the Economy:

69 percent say political leaders do NOT reflect the interests of young Americans.
Only 31 percent approve of President Obama's handling of American youth unemployment.
76 percent of overall Millennials would favor a decrease over an increase in federal spending from its current level if given the chance to set America's fiscal priorities.
69 percent prefer reducing federal spending over raising taxes on individuals in order to balance the federal budget.
59 percent of overall Millennials agree the economy grows best when individuals are allowed to create businesses without government interference.
53 percent of overall Millennials agree if taxes on business profits were reduced, companies would be more likely to hire.

ABOUT GENERATION OPPORTUNITY

Generation Opportunity is a non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization that seeks to engage everyone from young adults, to early career professionals, college students, young mothers and fathers, construction workers, current service men and women, veterans, entrepreneurs, and all Americans who find themselves dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to create a better tomorrow.

Generation Opportunity operates on a strategy that combines advanced social media tactics with proven field tactics to reach Americans 18-29. The organization's social media platforms – "Being American by GO" on Facebook and "The Constitution by GO" on Facebook – have amassed a total fan base of more than 2.3 million. Both pages post links to relevant articles and reports from sources ranging from the federal General Accountability Office (GAO), to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Brookings Institution, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, and The Heritage Foundation.

Read about Generation Opportunity here; visit "Being American by GO" on Facebook here and "The Constitution by GO" on Facebook here.

For our Spanish-language page – Generacion Oportunidad – click here.

CONTACT:
Matthew Faraci
202-997-1636
EMAIL

SOURCE Generation Opportunity