BEIJING >> Just over half of the Chinese public believe relations with the U.S. worsened last year, and the overwhelming majority blame Washington for the decline, according to a survey published Monday.

Roughly 53 percent of those responding saw relations with the U.S. getting worse last year, said the survey, carried out jointly by the official China Daily newspaper and the Horizon Research Consultancy Group. Just over 80 percent blame the deterioration on Washington, according to the survey.

The results appear just one day ahead of a state visit to the U.S. by Chinese President Hu Jintao intended to restore balance to relations following a troubling year during which the sides sparred over human rights, the Dalai Lama, and arms sales to Taiwan.

The survey questioned a sample of 1,443 Chinese citizens aged 18 and over living in Beijing and six other Chinese cities during Dec. 20-30 last year. The newspaper did not detail how participants were selected, and gave no margin of error.

Despite the slip in perceptions, almost 49 percent of Chinese had favorable attitudes toward the U.S., compared to 63 percent who viewed Germany positively and just 29 percent who felt that way toward Japan.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula topped the list of concerns for Hu’s visit, followed by Taiwan and trade issues.

Despite their political differences, economic relations between Beijing and Washington are becoming increasingly crucial. The U.S. is one of China’s biggest markets, with $380 billion in annual trade largely in Beijing’s favor, and China is the largest foreign holder of U.S. government debt.

Hu sounded a conciliatory tone in a rare interview with U.S. newspapers ahead of his visit, saying the two countries could mutually benefit by finding “common ground” on issues ranging from combatting terrorism and nuclear proliferation to clean energy and infrastructure initiatives.

“There is no denying that there are some differences and sensitive issues between us,” Hu said in written answers to questions submitted by The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal that were published over the weekend. “We both stand to gain from a sound China-U.S. relationship, and lose from confrontation.”