Pew Survey Finds China More Favorable Than US Globally

For the first time in roughly two decades of polling, global public opinion now views China more favorably than the United States, according to a major international survey released on July 15, 2026. The Pew Research Center report, based on interviews with more than 42,000 people across 36 countries and territories conducted from February 8 to May 13, 2026, found that a median of 46 percent hold a positive view of China, compared to 36 percent for the U.S.

The shift represents a dramatic reversal from recent years. In 2023, among 20 countries with comparable data, 58 percent viewed the U.S. favorably versus 32 percent for China. Researchers attribute the change to a combination of declining opinions of the United States and a modest recovery in China's image as memories of the COVID-19 pandemic fade. Laura Silver, associate director of Pew's Global Attitudes Research, noted the change followed a period that included the outbreak of a U.S.-led war against Iran, which contributed to a sense that the U.S. is not contributing to global peace and stability.

The U.S. is now viewed more positively than China in only six of the surveyed nations: Israel, Japan, India, South Korea, the...