As the Trump administration wages real war with adversaries and trade wars with friends, Americans are changing their minds about the United States’ biggest rival, China, for the better, according to a new survey.
It’s a stark difference from just a few years ago, when Sinophobia and anti-Asian hate crimes in the US spiked during the Covid pandemic. Tensions between the two countries had deepened after a trade battle during US President Donald Trump’s first term, and by 2023, only 14% of Americans had a favorable view of China, according to data released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center.
Now, that figure has nearly doubled to 27% – reflecting a broad shift in sentiment across the American public, especially among Democrats and young people. It mirrors a greater curiosity toward Chinese culture and entertainment on Western social media, evident in recent trends such as “Chinamaxxing.”
Fewer respondents called China an enemy now compared with last year, though most Americans still see it as a major competitor of the US, according to the report, which surveyed more than 8,500 adults nationwide in January and March.
The results also showed a softening of attitudes toward China’s authoritarian leader Xi Jinping, and an increased skepticism of Trump’s leadership.
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