Americans' views of China have grown somewhat more positive in recent years

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For the better part of a decade, most Americans have had negative views of China. This is still the case, but the share with a favorable view has ticked up, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March.

Today, 27% of Americans have a positive opinion of China. That has risen 6 percentage points since last year and nearly doubled since 2023. And it's part of a modest softening of Americans' opinion of China on multiple fronts:

• Confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs has gone up 4 points since last year and roughly doubled since 2023.
  
  
• When asked whether China is a partner, enemy or competitor of the United States, fewer Americans call China an enemy now than in 2025. But most Americans still see it as a competitor.
  
  
• Slightly fewer say now than last year that China is benefiting from trade at the expense of the U.S.

How are views of China changing?

The increase in favorability toward China comes largely from Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. The share of Democrats who view China positively is up 8 points from last year. Opinion among Republicans and Republican leaners is largely unchanged.

Still, favorability has increased markedly in both parties since 2023.

Americans' views of the United States' relationship with China are also shifting, according to a Center survey from January. Fewer call China an enemy of the U.S. now than in 2025 (28% vs. 33%), while more call it a competitor (60% vs. 56%). In both years, about one-in-ten have said China is a partner of the U.S.

Like with favorability, that movement comes mostly from Democrats: 14% of Democrats say China is an enemy, down from 22% in 2025 and 28% in 2024. A large majority of Democrats (72%) still view China as a competitor.

Read the full analysis here.

SOURCE Pew Research Center