People in many countries now view China more favorably than the United States, according to a new international survey. This marks a significant shift in public opinion amid intensifying competition between the two superpowers for global influence.
A survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that China held an advantage over the United States in 25 out of 36 countries surveyed from February to May. The report, published by the organization on Wednesday, noted that this is the first time in two decades of Pew surveys that China has surpassed the United States in favorability among most of the surveyed countries, experts observed.
This outcome partly reflects China’s strategic efforts to expand its “soft power,” including cultural and economic influence campaigns in Africa, America, and beyond. Pew Center highlighted the strengthening of economic and security ties with countries like Brazil and Peru, as well as a zero-tariff policy in Africa, as key factors contributing to its improved ratings.
Decline in favorability toward the US
However, the Pew report indicated that the shift occurred “particularly due to worsening views of the US.” The aggressive foreign policy of the United States during the presidency of Donald Trump, which included large-scale tariffs and cuts to foreign aid, has alienated many countries from American partnership.
“The results confirm the collapse of US ‘soft power’ under the leadership of President Trump, caused by his administration’s use of force and economic coercion,” said Suzanne Patton, a non-resident fellow at the Lowy Institute, an independent research center in Sydney.
Global opinion of the United States has been steadily declining in recent years, according to previous Pew reports. However, this year’s survey reveals a sharp drop. The median favorability rating for the US — the median percentage of people in all surveyed countries who viewed it positively — fell to 36% from 48% in last year’s survey. In contrast, China’s rating increased to 46% from 38% over the same period.
Most countries that viewed the United States more favorably than China were among China’s traditional rivals in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Japan and South Korea, or had leaders aligned with Trump, such as Israel. Notably, respondents in Canada and Mexico — the United States’ immediate neighbors and two of its closest allies — reported greater favorability toward China than the US.
The survey also found that people in most of the surveyed countries expressed more confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping than in Trump, although, as noted in the report, global opinion of both leaders remained low.
Some experts, including Chin-Hao Huang, an associate professor of political science at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, cautioned against overinterpreting the implications of the report for China’s long-term popularity. However, he noted that the survey could serve as “a report card for the world, assessing how the Trump administration is handling global affairs.”
A previously published Pew report in June, which assessed public opinion of Trump in 36 countries, indicated that US involvement in military conflicts was a major factor in the decline of his global favorability. A median of 74% of adults disapproved of how Trump handled the war in Iran, and 76% disapproved of his actions regarding the conflict in Gaza, the report stated.
Since the start of the war in Iran in February, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly halted, severely disrupting global oil supplies and leading to rising energy prices and a range of other goods. Last week, the International Monetary Fund forecast an increase in global inflation, predicting it would rise to 4.7% in 2026 compared to 4.1% in 2025 due to higher prices for key commodities such as energy, metals, fertilizers, and food.
Source: NYT
