World

China's Popularity on the Rise as U.S. Image Dips: Shocking Survey Reveals

2025-07-15

Author: Noah

China's Growing Favorability Amid U.S. Decline

For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, China's global image has seen a notable uptick in over a dozen countries, even as views of the United States have soured, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Key Findings from the Pew Research Survey

The survey, which spanned 25 nations, revealed that although a majority still hold unfavorable views of China, that figure has dropped by seven percentage points, now standing at 54%. Impressively, 36% of respondents reported a favorable perception of Beijing.

Pew researchers Jonathan Schulman and Laura Silver noted, "In many surveyed countries, views of the U.S. have significantly worsened over the past year, while opinions of China have slightly improved."

Dramatic Shifts in Canada and Beyond

In Canada, opinions about the U.S. and China are almost at a standstill, with both nations receiving a positive rating from about a third of Canadians—34% each. However, this marks a staggering 20-point decrease in favorable views of the U.S. since 2024, contrasted by a 13-point increase for China.

This trend reflects broader support for China’s initiatives in developing countries, with respondents in nations like Nigeria, Kenya, and Indonesia expressing significantly more favorable views of Beijing compared to wealthier counterparts.

Generation Gap in Perceptions

Most of the gains in China's popularity stem from younger demographics. Notably, 50% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 view China positively, a stark contrast to just 23% of those over 50.

Trust in Leadership Lags

Despite the improvement in favorability, confidence in President Xi Jinping remains low, with only 25% of respondents trusting him to address global affairs appropriately—a modest improvement from last year.

Shifting Economic Perceptions

Interestingly, a majority of respondents continue to view China as the world's top economic power or on par with the U.S. Only nine countries, including Canada and the U.S., ranked the U.S. as number one in economic status. In fact, in eight countries, fewer people than in 2023 see the U.S. as the leading economic power.

Despite this, Canadians have become 10 points more likely to consider the U.S. the leading economic power while showing a nine-point decrease in favoring China. This could be attributed to the impact of former President Trump’s trade war, which highlighted the economic interdependence between Canada and the U.S.

Evolving Threat Perceptions

The survey also highlighted changing attitudes towards threats: countries like Indonesia, Canada, and South Africa have shifted their views, now regarding the U.S. as a greater threat than China. In Mexico, a whopping 68% identified the U.S. as a threat compared to just 5% for China.

Concluding Thoughts on Changing Geopolitical Dynamics

The findings suggest a significant shift in global perceptions, hinting at an evolving geopolitical landscape influenced by economic ties and leadership dynamics. With many nations expressing waning confidence in U.S. leadership, the rise of China's influence could redefine global relations in the years to come.