Public opinion and China's resources spending spree

Last night, Hunan Valin Iron and Steel (controlled by the Hunan provincial government in China) was given the Australian Government's go-ahead to buy a 17.55% stake in Fortescue Metals.

With Chinese state-owned enterprises also seeking investments in Rio Tinto and Oz Minerals, some of the polling we conducted last year on Australian attitudes towards foreign investment in Australia is worth revisiting. The full results show the strength of public opposition to some foreign investment in Australia and are set out below:

Question 1: I am going to read you two statements. Please say whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree.

Question 2: If a company, bank or investment fund controlled by a foreign government was trying to buy a controlling stake in a major Australian company, please say whether you would be strongly in favour, in favour, opposed, strongly opposed or you don’t know, if the foreign government was the government of: *

*This chart combines respondents ‘strongly in favour’ with those ‘in favour’. It also combines respondents ‘strongly opposed’ with those ‘opposed’.