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July 23, 2026 Article/Editing:

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China Is Now Viewed More Favorably Than America

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Key Takeaways:

China is now viewed more favorably than the U.S. across the countries surveyed, marking a historic reversal in Pew’s global polling.

Nine of 36 countries rate the U.S. more favorably than China.

Pakistan records the largest pro-China gap, with favorability ratings of 90% for China and 15% for the U.S.

Public opinion toward the world’s two leading powers has undergone a notable shift. Pew Research Center’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey reveals significant differences in how countries perceive China and the United States.

The visualization below, created by Iswardi Ishak using Pew Research Center data, compares favorability toward both countries across 36 nations, showing where each holds the strongest public support and where opinions remain closely divided.

How the World Views the U.S. and China

The chart below plots favorable opinions of China and the U.S. using Pew Research Center’s Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey.

CountryFavorable Opinion of China (%)Favorable Opinion of the U.S. (%)

🇦🇷 Argentina	50	44
🇦🇺 Australia	31	24
🇧🇩 Bangladesh	56	26
🇧🇷 Brazil	46	47
🇨🇦 Canada	44	33
🇨🇱 Chile	49	37
🇨🇴 Colombia	63	60
🇫🇷 France	36	27
🇩🇪 Germany	33	27
🇬🇭 Ghana	64	68
🇬🇷 Greece	55	37
🇭🇺 Hungary	53	58
🇮🇳 India	23	45
🇮🇩 Indonesia	72	29
🇮🇱 Israel	19	81
🇮🇹 Italy	51	31
🇯🇵 Japan	11	50
🇰🇪 Kenya	76	63
🇲🇾 Malaysia	75	19
🇲🇽 Mexico	59	40
🇳🇱 Netherlands	34	25
🇳🇬 Nigeria	78	63
🇵🇰 Pakistan	90	15
🇵🇸 West Bank/East Jerusalem (Palestine)	57	9
🇵🇪 Peru	61	51
🇵🇭 Philippines	40	56
🇵🇱 Poland	39	49
🇸🇬 Singapore	73	34
🇿🇦 South Africa	52	35
🇰🇷 South Korea	28	45
🇪🇸 Spain	54	30
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	72	42
🇸🇪 Sweden	27	19
🇹🇭 Thailand	69	36
🇹🇷 Turkiye	43	13
🇬🇧 United Kingdom	46	41

Regional differences are pronounced. Many countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and parts of Latin America express more favorable views of China. The U.S. leads in nine countries: Brazil, Ghana, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, Poland, and South Korea.

The Development Divide

The scatterplot reveals several broad clusters. Wealthier Western democracies generally remain skeptical of both countries, with Germany, France, Sweden, Australia, and the Netherlands posting relatively low favorability ratings for each.

Much of the developing world falls into the opposite quadrant, where China receives majority support while views of the U.S. lag behind. Pakistan stands out with a 90% favorable opinion of China versus 15% for the United States. Large gaps also appear in Malaysia (75% vs. 19%) and Indonesia (72% vs. 29%).

Several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, express positive views of both powers. This suggests many respondents see value in maintaining relationships with each country rather than viewing them as mutually exclusive.

Why China’s Image Has Improved

China’s improving standing reflects both rising favorability toward Beijing and declining perceptions of the United States. Recent reporting indicates that this reversal has been especially pronounced among several longstanding U.S. partners, including Canada and countries across Europe.

Public opinion rarely hinges on a single issue. Analysts point to expanding Chinese trade and diplomatic engagement, alongside changing perceptions of U.S. foreign policy and reliability. As countries deepen economic ties with Beijing, trade has become an increasingly important factor in international relationships.

Coverage from the BBC and analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations also suggest that many countries are pursuing pragmatic relationships with both powers, balancing security partnerships with growing economic ties to China.

Soft Power Remains a Global Competition

Although China receives stronger favorability ratings across most countries surveyed, the results do not necessarily translate directly into geopolitical alignment.

Instead, the survey points to an increasingly multipolar world in which economic influence, trade, diplomacy, and public perception all contribute to global power. As China expands its international presence and the U.S. works to maintain longstanding alliances, competition between the two superpowers is increasingly measured not only in economic and military terms, but also through global public opinion.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

How does public opinion compare with hard power? Explore The U.S. and China Account for 49% of Global Military Spending on the Voronoi app to see how the world’s two leading powers compare in defense spending.

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