WASHINGTON — For the first time in nearly 20 years of tracking global opinions, China is viewed more favorably than the United States, according to a new Pew Research Center poll released on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026. The survey, conducted from February to May during a period of heightened geopolitical tensions including a war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, found that in 25 out of 36 countries and territories surveyed, including Canada and Mexico, more people have favorable views of China than the U.S.

Similarly, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is viewed more positively than the U.S. in 22 of the 36 surveyed locations. Laura Silver, associate director of Pew’s Global Attitudes Research and a study researcher, noted that this marks a significant reversal from previous years when the U.S. generally held more favorable global standing.

The shift is attributed in part to souring global views of the U.S., which followed the COVID-19 pandemic becoming a less dominant issue. Specific actions during the Trump administration, such as demands to control Greenland, a U.S. military raid capturing Venezuela’s then-leader Nicolás Maduro, and the handling of the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza, have contributed to declining approval internationally.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington responded to the poll by stating it "demonstrates that China’s governance achievements and development progress are widely recognized." The White House did not immediately comment on the findings.

Despite China's improved standing, the narrowing favorability gap is largely due to a decrease in the perception that the U.S. government respects personal freedoms, a sentiment that has declined in nearly every surveyed country since 2021, when Pew last measured this question.

Only six countries still view the U.S. more positively than China, underscoring the extent of this global shift.

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