China Favored Over U.S. in Global Public Opinion Survey

A Historic Realignment in Global Sentiment

Public favorability toward China has surpassed that of the United States in 25 of the 36 countries and territories surveyed by Pew researchers between February and May 2026. This represents a significant departure from historical trends, as the U.S. has traditionally held a higher standing in global opinion. In many nations, the change is not merely an improvement in China’s image, but a reaction to the U.S. government’s perceived role in world affairs.

Laura Silver, an associate director at Pew, noted that while views of the two powers were similar in the past, diplomatic tensions have accelerated the divide. According to the outlet, the survey period overlapped with the early stages of a U.S.-led war in Iran, a factor that Silver linked to declining confidence in the American approach to global stability.

Deteriorating Views of U.S. Leadership

Confidence in U.S. President Donald Trump remains low across the nations surveyed. In 22 of the 36 countries, respondents expressed more confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs than in his American counterpart. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among traditional U.S. allies.

For more on this story, see On global AI governance, China fills a vacuum.

In Canada, for instance, favorable views of the U.S. dropped from 57% in 2023 to 33% in the most recent survey. Analysts suggest that trade disputes, including tariffs on Canadian goods, have contributed to this souring of relations.

“There was just an actual relationship between the outbreak of the war and the sense that the U.S. is just not contributing to peace and stability and that people have less confidence in Donald Trump.”

Laura Silver, Pew Research Center associate director

China’s Evolving Image in Emerging Economies

While Western nations have soured on Washington, Beijing has found success in the Global South. Investments through initiatives like the Belt and Road program have helped burnish China’s image in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.

This follows our earlier report, Han Kuo-yu Meets with Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Lawmakers Amid Hopes for Tsai Ing-wen’s Visit.

However, this favorability is not universal. Territorial disputes in the South China Sea and along the India-China border continue to weigh on China’s popularity among its immediate neighbors. In Japan, only 11% of adults view China favorably. Furthermore, even in nations where China’s standing has improved, many respondents continue to express concern regarding the Chinese government’s respect for personal freedoms.

The Narrowing Gap on Personal Freedoms

Historically, the perception that the U.S. government respects personal freedoms has been a pillar of its soft power. While the U.S. still maintains an advantage over China in this category, the margin is shrinking. According to the survey data, this shift is driven largely by the fact that people in nearly every country surveyed have become less likely to say the U.S. government respects its people’s personal freedoms since 2021.

Read also: Christine Lagarde Warns Undervalued Chinese Currency Threatens Global Economy.

Metric	Trend
U.S. Favorability	Declining in major allied nations
China Favorability	Rising, especially in emerging economies
Personal Freedom Perceptions	Gap between U.S. and China is narrowing

As of May 2026, the global landscape remains deeply fractured. While China is increasingly viewed as a reliable partner capable of contributing to peace, deep-seated anxieties regarding its foreign policy interference persist. Meanwhile, the U.S. faces the challenge of repairing its image among long-standing allies who, according to Joshua Kurlantzick of the Council on Foreign Relations, have increasingly felt that the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner.

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