China surpasses US in global perception; survey registers historic shift

For the first time in two decades, China has surpassed the United States in global public perception, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. The shift marks a significant reversal from previous years, when the US consistently held a more favorable image worldwide.

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It is the first time in the approximately 20 years that Pew has been tracking global opinions that China is viewed more positively than the United States.

The survey, which polled respondents in 36 countries and territories between February and May, found that a majority now view China more favorably than the US. This includes key North American neighbors like Canada and Mexico, as well as several European nations. In contrast, only six countries reported more positive views of the US compared to China.

Furthermore, Chinese President Xi Jinping is viewed more favorably than his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in 22 of the surveyed countries. However, the report also notes that confidence in both leaders remains low in many of these nations.

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There was a real relationship between the outbreak of the war and the sense that the United States is simply not contributing to peace and stability, and that people have less confidence in Donald Trump.

Laura Silver, an associate director at Pew Research Center and a lead researcher on the study, explained that the shift is influenced by several factors. The fading memory of the COVID-19 pandemic and a general deterioration of global views toward the United States have played a role. Silver pointed to specific US actions, such as demands to control Greenland, military actions in Venezuela, and the handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as contributing to lower approval ratings.

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The United States has done a lot in terms of global engagement in recent months and years that is not being perceived positively at the international level.

"The United States has done a lot in terms of global engagement in recent months and years that is not being perceived positively at the international level," Silver stated. China, meanwhile, appears to benefit from this comparative decline, being perceived as a more reliable partner contributing to global peace and stability in many regions.

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Compared to the United States, China is seen as a more reliable partner in many places. It is more likely to be seen as a country that contributes to global peace and stability.