More Americans warm to China: poll

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 25, 2026

President Xi Jinping has begun his state visit to the United States amid surveys showing a modest improvement in American public opinion toward China, with warmer ratings rising and negative views declining. Despite this shift, significant skepticism remains, influenced by political divides and ongoing tensions over trade, technology, and security issues, as lawmakers debate the future of U.S.-China relations.

As President Xi Jinping begins his high-profile state visit to the United States, a recent survey indicates that American public opinion toward China has improved, although overall sentiment remains largely negative. The findings come from a Pew Research Center report released shortly before Xi’s arrival in Washington.

Between September 7 and 20, Pew surveyed 5,193 U.S. adults using a "feeling thermometer" scale from zero (coldest) to 100 (warmest). The results showed that the average rating for China rose to 37 this year, up from 28 in 2021. The proportion of Americans giving China a warm rating, defined as between 51 and 100, increased from 11% in 2021 to 19% currently. Meanwhile, those expressing neutral views (exactly 50) rose from 20% to 27%, and the share giving cold ratings (0 to 49) dropped from 68% to 54%.

The report also highlights demographic and political divides in perceptions of China. Democrats generally provided more favorable assessments than Republicans, and younger Americans tended to rate China more warmly than older generations. Laura Silver and Laura Clancy, researchers at Pew, noted that these shifts come amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing on various issues, including artificial intelligence, trade, and rare earth minerals.

Despite the relatively warmer views, significant skepticism toward China persists among much of the American public. This occurs alongside a backdrop of congressional calls for tougher policies on Beijing, particularly from lawmakers identified as China hawks. However, former President Donald Trump has publicly praised Xi as a "great leader" and described their relationship as positive.

Xi’s visit, scheduled to last three days, includes meetings at the White House, a formal state dinner, and a stop at the National Archives. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the survey results. In past statements, the embassy has attributed improvements in China’s global image to its development progress and governance, emphasizing the importance of strengthening U.S.-China ties and fostering increased people-to-people exchanges.

A separate poll from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs echoes the trend of warming attitudes. This survey found that the average American rating of China climbed to 39 this year, a significant rise from 26 in 2024, further suggesting a gradual shift in public sentiment amid a complex geopolitical landscape.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.