The sentiments about China in the central European countries of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia (Visegrád group) have grown negative, irrespective of the changes in economic and political ties with the Asian power. These countries form an informal but powerful alliance which is identified as the Visegrád Group or V4. China has been taking various steps including investments and setting narrative on social media to gain a foothold in these countries. But situation has remained unfavourable.
About 71 percent of Polish people showed unfavourable attitude toward China, as per the latest research by the Pew Research Centre. Economic exchange is growing and Chinese companies are investing in Poland. Yet, there is a decline in confidence about China in Poland, said analyst Konrad Rajca. “The outbreak of war in Ukraine has had the effect of increasing negative perceptions of and trust in Chinese policy in Poland. The traditionally close Polish-American relations also play a large role, which also influence the approach of Poland’s political class and business to cooperation with China,” he said.
The ambiguous position taken by Beijing in the geopolitical conflict has led leaders to recalibrate Poland’s foreign policy towards Beijing, said Warsaw-based China analyst Joanna Nawrotkiewicz. “China is no longer seen merely as an economic partner; it is also recognized as a growing systemic rival. Moreover, the majority of public perception about China has shifted toward negative, she added.
According to a survey carried out by the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) in 2025, Czech people hold the most negative views of China among the Visegrád nations. “China is generally viewed unfavourably throughout the region, with Czechia registering the highest proportion of negative views—59 percent of respondents express an unfavourable opinion of the Asian power,” it said.
Another survey by the STEM research, found China among the top three countries loathed by Czechian. Prague-resident Vojta Rod blamed Chinese policies in relation to Taiwan and Tibet for Czech people to turn against the communist country. “In general, we have quite a big problem with undemocratic regimes and human rights violations. China does both. I am proud to live in a country that upholds principles and helps the weak,” Rod said.
The negative feeling toward China among these central European nations worsened following the Covid-19 mismanagement by Beijing. In Hungary, over half of the people have held negative opinion even as the share of people finding China unfavourable has been increasing gradually. Even after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hungary in 2024, the sentiments about China remained unchanged. The Pew Research Centre’s survey a month later corroborated it.
Issues like Chinese investment and debt, China-funded railway line project and Fudan University campus in Budapest evoked concerns.
“Before night falls and the full effects of China’s economic Trojan Horse are felt, the West must evaluate and quantify the threat China-Hungary ties may pose to the European continent,” said François Venne, international relations researcher at Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).
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In Slovakia, about 42 percent of people appeared to have held negative views toward China while those with positive opinion were just 28 percent, according to CEIAS. “Concerning China, Slovaks’ most negative feelings are about China’s impact on the global environment, followed by China’s military power and its impact on democracy in other countries,” it said. “The Slovak government, businesses, institutions, and the general public should become aware of the risks involved in cooperation with China.”
Zdeněk Rod, researcher and CEO of Prague-based Center for Security Consulting, said the public perception of China in Slovakia was negative even some supported the Chinese investment in the country. “If we zoom in on Slovak’s perception of China, then we find out it is rather negative. 70 percent of respondents in Slovakia see China negatively. In Slovakia too, the perception about China worsened after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Łukasz Kobierski, President of Warsaw-based think tank Instytut Nowej Europy, said the growth of unfavourable views on China was no surprise. Poor handling of Covid-19, suppression of democratic rights in Hong Kong, and human rights violation in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia formed the negative perception. “China has lost significant support among the V4 and European societies. The Czech Republic seems to be the leader among the Visegrad countries in this field,” he said.
