China is now viewed more positively than the U.S. in many countries, according to a new global survey from the Pew Research Center [1].
This shift represents a significant departure from historical trends, suggesting a decline in American soft power and a rising global acceptance of China's influence.
The survey, released on July 15, included more than 40,000 adults [2] across more than 40 countries. The data shows that China is viewed more favorably than the U.S. in 20 countries [3]. This marks the first time the organization has recorded such a result.
Analysts attribute the change to deteriorating U.S. favorability, which has been impacted by tensions surrounding the Trump administration and broader geopolitical dynamics [4]. While the U.S. has historically held a more positive image than Beijing, those opinions have flipped in China's favor this year [5].
Regional shifts are particularly stark in North America. In Canada, approval of the U.S. dropped 24 points in the past year [3]. During that same period, the positive opinion of China in Canada more than tripled [3].
"The world has largely viewed the U.S. more favorably than China for years, but those opinions have flipped in Beijing's favor this year," NPR staff said [5].
The findings highlight a volatile period of global public opinion where the perceived stability or leadership of the U.S. is being questioned relative to the growth of the Chinese model.
“China is now viewed more positively than the US in many countries around the world”
The reversal in favorability indicates that U.S. diplomatic standing is increasingly vulnerable to domestic political volatility. As the U.S. image declines in traditional allied regions like Canada, China is successfully leveraging its global presence to fill the vacuum, shifting the balance of international public opinion for the first time in the Pew Research Center's tracking history.
