People in many countries view China more positively than US: report

WASHINGTON -- People in many countries now view China more positively than the United States, according to a report released by the Pew Research Center.

The report, released on July 15, is based on surveys of 42,151 adults in 36 countries conducted between Feb 8 and May 13, 2026. It compares international public opinion on China and the United States, their roles in foreign policy and other issues.

In most of the 36 countries surveyed, more people have a favorable view of China than of the United States, with the gap especially large in several countries across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, the report said.

It also found Americans' nearest neighbors -- Canadians and Mexicans -- also view China more positively than the United States.

On perceptions of US and Chinese foreign policy, people in the middle-income countries surveyed -- including those in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific -- raised more concerns about US foreign policy than China's.

A median of 75 percent of respondents said that the United States interferes in the affairs of other countries a great deal, and in nearly every country surveyed, more people view the United States as an interferer than China, the report found.

Similarly, people in many of these middle-income countries see China as a more reliable partner than the United States, and are more likely to say China contributes to peace and stability around the world.