( CNN) Australians' trust in China has hit a 15 -year record low despite the two country's growing demographic and economic ties, a new report by an Australian think tank has found.

The 2019 Lowy Institute Poll, which measures Australians' position to non-eu countries, found that merely 32% of those surveyed said they trusted China either a “great deal” or “somewhat” to act responsibly in the world.

It was a massive 20 -point drop on the results of the 2018 survey, as a trade war ratchets up between China and the US, a close Australian ally.