How the world views China? Is trade the answer to South China Sea tension?

As China's economic and military might grow, the way other countries view the Asian superpower differs widely across the world.

"As China's economy has continued to grow over the past several years, it has developed extensive economic ties with nations around the world, generating both goodwill and anxieties about economic competition," Pew said.

Across the countries surveyed, a median of 49 percent expressed a favorable opinion of China, while 32 percent offer an unfavorable rating.

Its overall image in the United States and Europe is mostly negative. Only 35 percent of Americans have a positive view of China, while 55 percent have a negative one. - 

As saber-rattling in the South China Sea increases, more trade could help to ease regional tension, according to IHS Senior Consultant for Country Risks Amarjit Singh. - 

"It creates the room for more dialogue and increases the costs if any of the countries try to provoke aggression. The deeper you're linked economically, the higher the costs of any aggression or threat of aggression," he said.

Any sort of conflict would inflict a heavy cost on the economies involved, and all sides would obviously "work hard to avoid it", he added. cnbc