More Americans Favour Stable Ties With China as Public Opinion Warms, Surveys Show
Surveys by the Chicago Council, Gallup and Pew indicate growing positive sentiment toward China among Americans, who increasingly back friendly engagement.
American public opinion toward China is shifting in a more positive direction, with a growing share of respondents favouring stable and cooperative bilateral relations, according to surveys by several major polling institutions.
A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 57 percent of Americans believe the United States should pursue friendly cooperation and engagement with China, a rise from 40 percent in 2024. Dina Smeltz, a former State Department official who oversees the Council's survey work, said most Americans now want to cooperate with China.
The finding echoes a Gallup survey conducted earlier this year, which also recorded a sharp increase in the proportion of Americans expressing favourable views of China.
The latest Pew Research Center survey, released in September, offered further detail. Compared with 2021, the share of respondents reporting "warm" or neutral feelings toward China rose by 8 and 7 percentage points respectively, while the proportion holding cold views fell by 14 percentage points over the past five years.
Both Pew and the Chicago Council found that young Americans are notably more positive toward China. This group is becoming more familiar with the country's technological innovation and cultural appeal, a trend reflected in the "Chinamaxxing" craze sweeping the internet, in which young Westerners immerse themselves in Chinese lifestyles and habits.