Global Views on China Improve as US Sentiment Declines, Survey Shows

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new survey by the Pew Research Center indicates a modest increase in favorable views of China and its leader, Xi Jinping, across multiple nations, while sentiments toward the United States and President Donald Trump have declined.

Conducted between January 8 and April 26, 2025, the survey sampled over 30,000 adults across 25 countries including the U.S., Canada, and Brazil. The results reveal that 36% of respondents hold a favorable view of China, a slight increase since last year, with unfavorable views dropping to 54%, a 7-point shift.

Furthermore, a median of 41% of those surveyed now regard China as the world’s leading economic power, compared to 39% who favor the United States. This marks the first shift towards more positive perceptions of China since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While global views of China have improved, confidence in Xi Jinping remains relatively low,” said researchers Jonathan Schulman and Laura Silver. Only 25% of respondents expressed confidence in Xi’s ability to manage global affairs, although this is an increase from previous years.

Notable improvements were observed in 15 of the surveyed nations, with significant boosts in opinions recorded in countries such as Canada, France, and South Africa. In Canada, for example, favorable views of China jumped by 13 percentage points since last year.

However, the survey also highlights a trend of diminishing confidence in U.S. leadership. In 15 countries, including Mexico and Sweden, the proportion of people with favorable views of the U.S. has decreased by over 20 percentage points.

Despite a slight uptick in China’s global standing, the survey revealed that most people still prefer strong economic ties with the U.S. over China. More than half of respondents expressed the view that it is more important for their countries to have solid economic connections with the United States.

As the effects of Trump’s tariff policies and other international relations initiatives continue to shape public opinion, the Pew Research Center’s findings suggest a complex and evolving global perspective on China and the U.S.

“This dynamic shift could have significant implications for international diplomacy, trade, and alliances,” the report concluded.