A new Pew Research Center survey reveals a historic shift in global public opinion: for the first time in roughly 20 years, more people in major countries view China favorably than the United States. The poll, conducted from February to May 2025, shows that favorable views of China now exceed those of the US in 25 out of 36 surveyed countries and territories, including Canada and Mexico.
Shift in Favor Toward China
In only six countries—Poland, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Japan, and Israel—do people still view the US more positively than China. The findings mark a dramatic reversal from previous years, when the US consistently held a more favorable global image. Laura Silver, associate director of Pew's Global Attitudes Research, noted that while views of Beijing and Washington have been similar at times, China has never before been significantly more favored.
According to Silver, the shift is partly due to fading memories of the COVID-19 pandemic and a souring of global views toward the US. She pointed to the US handling of the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, President Trump's demands to control Greenland, and the American military raid that captured Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro as factors eroding confidence in the US.
Xi Jinping Viewed More Favorably Than Trump
In 22 of the 36 countries and territories, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is viewed more favorably than US President Donald Trump, including in Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, and the UK. However, Pew noted that confidence in both leaders remains low in many nations.
Silver added that China is perceived as a more reliable partner and more likely to contribute to global peace and stability compared to the US. The Chinese embassy in Washington stated that the poll demonstrates China's governance achievements and development progress are widely recognized. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dramatic Swings in Allied Countries
Among US allies, Canada saw a drastic shift: only 33% of Canadians now hold positive views of the US, down from 57% in 2023. Meanwhile, favorable opinions of China rose from 14% to 44% over the same period. Silver attributed this to Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods and his rhetoric about making Canada the 51st state.
Major European powers—including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Italy—have all switched their opinions, now favoring China over the US. In the US itself, about 6 in 10 Americans held positive views of their own country in 2023, but now views of China and the US are similar. Three years ago, the US had a 32-point advantage.
Personal Freedoms and Survey Methodology
Despite the shift, the US still leads China in government respect for personal freedoms, though the gap is narrowing. Pew surveyed over 42,000 people across 35 countries plus the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with margins of error ranging from 2.3 to 5.5 percentage points.
