Why China Surpassed the U.S. in Global Favorability for the First Time in Decades

Trump Administration Tariff Policies

Pew's survey explicitly asked about Trump's handling of key foreign policy issues, including U.S. tariff policy . Trump received mostly negative ratings internationally . The perception that the U.S. is an "unreliable partner" rose sharply. According to Pew's June 2026 report, only 23% of respondents across surveyed countries said they trusted Trump to do the right thing in world affairs . The survey questionnaire included a specific prompt on "U.S. tariff policy" as a confidence metric .

U.S. Military Conflict in Iran

The Pew data showed that the U.S. military engagement in Iran further damaged America's global image. In South Korea and other surveyed countries, favorability toward the U.S. declined "in tandem with the Iran war" . Trump received especially poor marks for his handling of the situation in Iran .

Erosion Among Traditional Allies (Canada)

The decline in U.S. standing was particularly stark among long-standing allies. Pew's June 2026 report found that only 33% of Canadians viewed the U.S. favorably in 2026, down from 54% in 2024 . Just 35% of Canadians considered the U.S. a reliable partner, compared to 83% in 2022 . Pew's data confirmed "particularly steep declines in countries that have long maintained close economic and security ties" with Washington .

China's Diplomatic Gains and Xi Jinping's Improved Image

China's favorable image improved across many countries, especially where Beijing has pursued active diplomacy and infrastructure investment . Confidence in Xi Jinping's leadership rose relative to Trump's, with Xi rated more favorably in 22 of the survey's 36 countries . Across all surveyed countries, a median of 51% held a favorable view of China, while 39% held an unfavorable view .

Canada's Elimination of Tariffs on Chinese EVs

In January 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney traveled to Beijing and announced a trade deal that eliminated Canada's 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for China reducing retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural products like canola . Canada will initially allow 49,000 Chinese EVs per year at a 6.1% tariff rate, rising to 70,000 by year five . Reports described this as a "significant departure from U.S. policy" and a sign that Canada was "serious about shift from US" .

Parallel Gallup Survey: China Surpasses U.S. in Global Leadership Approval

Gallup's 2025 World Poll (reported April–June 2026) independently confirmed the trend: China's global leadership approval reached a median of 36%, while the U.S. stood at 31%—a 5-point gap that is the widest Gallup has ever recorded in China's favor . U.S. disapproval hit a record high of 48% . The Gallup survey covered over 130 countries .

Softening of American Views Toward China

Within the U.S., Pew's March 2026 survey found that 27% of Americans held a favorable view of China, up 6 percentage points from recent years—the first uptick after nearly a decade of steadily negative views . While still a minority, the trend shows a modest softening of American public opinion toward China . The increase came largely from Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents .

Bottom-Line Explanation

The primary driver of this historic reversal was not a surge in global affection for China, but a sharp decline in U.S. favorability driven by Trump's tariff policies, the Iran military conflict, and a broad perception of U.S. unreliability . China's modest image gains, Xi Jinping's rising confidence ratings, and diplomatic wins like the Canada EV tariff deal reinforced the shift, but Pew's own analysts and multiple news outlets emphasize that the U.S. collapse was the decisive factor .