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Pew: China edges ahead
A Pew Research Center survey found China is now viewed more favourably than the United States in 27 of the 36 countries and territories surveyed, a shift Laura Silver said reflects views of the US at or near historic lows.
“- Published China is now viewed more positively than the US in many countries around the world, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center”
The survey, conducted from February to May and covering 42,151 people with an average margin of error of 3.9 percentage points, also found that people in 25 of the 36 countries had favourable views of China rather than the US.
In the same Pew findings, Silver said the shift comes as “Some of the views that we see of the US are at or near historic lows,” and she linked the change to how global politics played out as the US role drew more negative perceptions.
The survey period overlapped with the early stages of the US-led war in Iran, and Silver said Pew could look at how attitudes shifted as the war dragged on from March and April.
In Britain, Pew data showed China’s favourability rose to 46% while the United States’ sank to 41%, reversing a prior gap where 50% viewed the US favourably compared with 39% for China.
Leaders’ images diverge
Pew’s polling also compared confidence in the two leaders, with the BBC reporting that in general respondents expressed low confidence in both Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, though Xi scored higher than Trump.
The BBC said the survey found that in 25 of the 36 countries there were more people with favourable views of China than of the US, and it described the result as the first time Pew recorded such findings in so many countries.
In Canada, BNN Bloomberg reported 44% of Canadians surveyed between February and May held a favourable view of China, while 33% felt the same about the U.S., after Canadians were “equally” favourable toward both countries last year.
BNN Bloomberg also quoted Laura Silver saying, “By comparison, we know that China is seen to be a more reliable partner in many places. It’s more likely to be seen to contribute to global peace and stability,” as Pew linked the shift to negative views of the US.
France 24 similarly reported that views were more favourable of Chinese leader Xi Jinping than US President Donald Trump in 22 of the countries and territories, while noting that people in many places had low confidence in both men.
What the shift means
Pew’s companion analysis said positive views of China became more widespread after the COVID-19 pandemic period when views were near historic lows, and it said China is now seen more positively than the U.S. in 25 countries.
“For the first time in at least three years, more people around the world like China than like the United States”
The Pew report also said anxieties about China remain, including concerns about its government’s respect for personal freedoms, the possibility of territorial conflict with neighbors, and interference in the affairs of other countries.
In the same Pew findings, the BBC reported that while more people still believed the US government respected its people’s personal freedoms than China’s government did, “the gap had narrowed.”
The Globe and Mail reported that in a Pew survey across 20 countries, 46% of respondents had a favourable opinion of China while just 36% felt the same about the U.S., and it said asked about Trump’s leadership, just 21% had confidence he would “do the right thing regarding world affairs.”
The Globe and Mail also quoted Wang Yiwei saying the U.S. “puts America first, extorts its allies and imposes tariffs on the world, which has seriously damaged its image,” while saying China’s initiatives were “inclusive” and that its help to the Global South was “clear.”
