[StavrosK]

Is it "journalists of the world?" It just sounds like American propaganda to me, I haven't noticed a similar sentiment towards China in Greek news, for example.

I think Russia and China get the "criminals by default" attitude in the US.

[scarmig]

Out of curiosity, I looked up recent China headlines in some UK papers. Method: Google News, search the newspaper's domain for China and list the first three. Includes opinion pieces, and also syndicated ones (though I think even for syndicated editors will usually write the headline). I also included evaluations of positivity and negativity, but of course YMMV.

UK (total: 4 positive, 2 neutral, 3 negative)

The Guardian: "China warns North Korea's nuclear arsenal is expanding"; "How China's Macau crackdown threatens big US casino moguls"; "Chinese school bars windows and balconies to stop pupil suicides"

2 positive, 1 negative

The Daily Mail: "Japan ministers go to Yasukuni a day after China talks"; "Volvo prepares to send 'Made in China' cars to US"; "Host Malaysia avoids Chinese ire over disputed sea at ASEAN summit"

1 neutral, 2 negative

The Financial Times: "China spells out cost of meeting pollution targets"; "Made-in-China cars steer course abroad"; "Mercedes-Benz fined over China price-fixing"

2 positive, 1 neutral

USA (total: 2 positive, 3 neutral, 4 negative)

NYT: "China's Big Plunge in Pakistan"; "Xi Jinping of China and Shinzo Abe of Japan Meet Amid Slight Thaw in Ties"; "Chinese Regulators Fine Mercedes-Benz Over Price Fixing"

1 positive, 2 neutral

WSJ: "Executive Shows China’s First Home-Grown Electric Sports Car"; "China Says Please Stop Hiring Funeral Strippers"; "Debt Builds in China Stock Rally"

1 positive, 2 negative

WaPo: "What China's and Pakistan's special friendship means"; "China's pathetic crackdown on civil society"; "This Chinese feminist wants to be the country’s first openly lesbian lawyer, and police harassment won’t stop her"

1 neutral, 2 negative

USA papers do appear to be more negative, but another trend is right-leaningness being predictive of Sino-negativity. So the apparent country connection may just be a side effect of that.