Global Favorability Shift: More Nations View China Than the United States

The Pew Research Center surveyed 42,151 adults in 36 countries plus the West Bank and East Jerusalem from 8 February to 13 May 2026. In 25 of those 36 nations, a larger share of respondents expressed a favorable view of China than of the United States. Only six countries—Poland, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Japan and Israel—still rated the United States more positively. Among U.S. allies, Canada and Mexico moved from strong U.S. favorability in 2023 (57 % and 53 % respectively) to a majority favoring China (44 % in Canada, 45 % in Mexico) while U.S. favorability fell to 33 % and 31 % respectively.

The Hill

This is the first time in roughly 20 years that Pew has recorded China ahead of the United States in global favorability. Earlier surveys showed the United States consistently outpacing China, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reversal coincides with the second Trump term, heightened U.S.–Iran conflict, and a series of high-profile U.S. actions (e.g., tariffs on Canada, rhetoric about “the 51st state,” and the handling of the Israel-Hamas war).

The Guardian

• 25 of 36 countries surveyed now view China more favorably.

Pew Research

• In Canada, favorable views of China rose from 14 % (2023) to 44 % (2026); U.S. favorability dropped from 57 % to 33 %.

The Guardian

• European nations such as Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom show Xi Jinping leading Donald Trump by double-digit margins, though the highest Chinese favorability is only 37 % (U.K.).

Pew Research

• Across the sample, 39 % say the U.S. respects personal freedoms versus 26 % for China, but the gap has narrowed sharply since 2021.

Pew Research

• Margins of error range from 2.3 % to 5.5 % depending on the country.

The Guardian

The shift suggests a growing perception of China as a more reliable partner and a contributor to global peace, eroding a key pillar of U.S. soft power. In middle-income nations, a median 75 % view the United States as a major interferer in other countries’ affairs, compared with 45 % for China. These attitudes could affect trade negotiations, alliance cohesion, and the ability of Washington to rally international support on issues ranging from security to climate policy.

Pew Research

• Laura Silver, associate director of Pew’s Global Attitudes Research, said the war in Iran “created a sense that the U.S. is not contributing to peace and stability,” driving the decline in U.S. favorability.

The Guardian

• The Chinese embassy in Washington described the poll as evidence that “China’s governance achievements and development progress are widely recognised.”

The Guardian

• The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Jerusalem Post

• U.S. officials, including members of Congress, warned that China’s rising favorability “poses a significant challenge to U.S. economic and security interests.”

The Hill

U.S. policymakers argue that the favorable view of China does not translate into confidence in its leadership; many respondents still lack confidence in Xi Jinping. Critics of the Trump administration note that aggressive foreign-policy moves—such as tariffs on Canada and confrontational rhetoric on the Iran war—have damaged the United States’ image abroad, even as China’s diplomatic outreach in Latin America and Africa continues.

The Hill

While the overall trend is clear, confidence in both leaders remains low, and in several countries (e.g., Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand) more respondents believe the Chinese government respects personal freedoms than the U.S. The survey’s margins of error and the fact that only a minority of respondents in many nations give either country a majority-positive rating leave room for further fluctuation.

Pew Research

• “There was just an actual relationship between the outbreak of the war and the sense that the US is just not contributing to peace and stability and that people have less confidence in Donald Trump,” — Laura Silver, Pew Research Center

The Guardian

• “By comparison, we know that China is seen to be a more reliable partner in many places. It’s more likely to be seen to contribute to global peace and stability,” — Laura Silver, Pew Research Center

The Guardian

• “Views of China have improved in recent years while opinions of the U.S. have worsened, to the point where China is now seen more positively than the U.S. in most of 36 countries surveyed,” — Pew Research Center report

The Hill

• “In Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, Xi leads Trump by double digits, though his highest favorability rating is just 37 percent, from the U.K.” — The Hill article

The Hill

• “The U.S. and China have both spent significant resources to exert influence over Latin America. China, for example, is South America’s top trading partner and has developed close economic and security ties with countries including Brazil and Peru,” — Pew Research Center report

The Hill