Alliance Tensions: Pew Survey Shows Global Favorability Toward U.S. Declining

Central Message

(Central News Agency, Washington, 15th – comprehensive international report) The U.S. think tank Pew Research Center has released a new global opinion poll showing that, for the first time this year, public favorability toward China has surpassed that of the United States in multiple countries—largely due to tensions between the Trump administration and American allies.

According to the Associated Press, the Pew Research Center surveyed public opinion across 35 countries and regions, finding that 25 now view China more favorably than the U.S., including Canada and Mexico. The survey was conducted between February and May, during which the U.S. and Israel launched military actions against Iran.

The results, published today, show that only six countries still hold a more favorable view of the U.S. than China. Israel leads this group, with around 80% expressing positive views of the U.S., followed by Japan, India, South Korea, the Philippines, and Poland.

Regarding leadership, public confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping exceeds that in U.S. President Trump in countries including Canada, Mexico, and major European powers such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. However, confidence in both leaders remains low in many nations.

Laura Silver, Deputy Director of Pew’s Global Attitudes Research, stated this is the first time in the organization’s 20-year history of tracking global opinion that China has surpassed the U.S. in favorability. While perceptions of Beijing and Washington have occasionally been close in the past, China has never clearly led in positive sentiment until now.

Silver pointed to several factors undermining U.S. support, including Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, U.S. military attempts to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and the handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

She added that many people globally perceive the U.S. as failing to contribute to peace and stability: "Over recent months and years, many of America’s actions in global affairs have not been viewed positively on the international stage."

In contrast, she noted, "in many regions, China is seen as a more reliable partner and more likely to contribute to global peace and stability."

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales responded: "President Trump has contributed more to global stability than anyone else," citing the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities and the elimination of hundreds of drug-related terrorists.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington stated the survey reflects "broad international recognition of China’s governance achievements and developmental progress."

Notably, sentiment in key U.S. allies has shifted dramatically. In Canada, only 33% of respondents now view the U.S. positively, down sharply from 57% in 2023. Over the same period, favorable views of China in Canada rose from 14% to 44%.

Trump previously imposed a series of tariffs on Canadian goods and even suggested Canada could become the U.S.’s "51st state."

Major European nations—including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands—have also seen a reversal in attitudes toward the two economic powers.

In the UK, public favorability toward the U.S. was around 60% in 2023, but now views on the U.S. and China are nearly equal. Three years ago, the gap in favorability between the two nations was as high as 32 percentage points, with the U.S. clearly ahead.

The Pew report notes that the U.S. still outperforms China in perceptions of respecting individual freedoms, but this gap is narrowing.

The study 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. (Translation: Hsu Hsiang-ping) 1150716