Fewer Americans now consider China an enemy or perceive it as the nation posing the greatest threat to the United States, according to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.
The study, aimed at understanding how Americans view China and its relationship with the U.S., explored opinions on economics and national security. This analysis builds upon previous research by the Center regarding American opinions on China and pressing foreign policy issues that span decades, encompassing major global conflicts, trade initiatives, and military decisions.
Fielded from March 24 to March 30, 2025, the survey included responses from 3,605 U.S. adults, all members of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP). The ATP comprises individuals recruited through national, random sampling methods designed to ensure that nearly all U.S. adults have an opportunity to participate in surveys regularly. Conducted either online or via telephone with a live interviewer, the survey results are weighted to represent the U.S. adult population across various demographics, including gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, and education levels.
The findings reveal that Americans generally hold negative views of China; however, there is evidence indicating a slight warming of attitudes over the past year.
For the first time in five years, the percentage of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of China has decreased, albeit marginally, from 81% in 2024 to 77% in 2025. Moreover, those expressing a very unfavorable opinion of China dropped by 10 percentage points compared to the previous year.
The perception of China as an enemy has also seen a decline, with one-third of Americans now considering China an enemy of the U.S. This marks a reduction from 42% in 2024.
Despite these shifts, when asked which country poses the greatest threat to the United States, Americans still cited China more frequently than any other nation, accounting for 42%. Yet, this figure represents an 8-point decrease since 2023 when the question was last posed.
These insights emerged from the Pew Research Center survey, which was conducted amidst escalating economic tensions between the U.S. and China, largely driven by fluctuating tariff policies.
In February and early March, prior to the survey, U.S. President Donald Trump implemented additional tariffs on China. Following the conclusion of the survey, he announced even broader tariffs affecting various countries, including further tariffs directed at China, while China also introduced new tariffs on the U.S.
Looking at views by political party affiliation reveals softer negative attitudes towards China among Republicans and those who lean Republican. Despite this softening, they remain more critical of China than Democrats and Democratic leaners.
The share of Republicans holding an unfavorable view of China has decreased by 8 points since 2024, including a significant 16-point reduction in those with a very unfavorable perception. In contrast, Democrats saw a smaller 5-point decline in unfavorable views of China.
Moreover, Republicans are now 14 points less likely to categorize China as an enemy of the U.S. In past years, this group had favored labeling China as an enemy over a competitor, but they have reached an equilibrium between the two descriptors. On the Democratic side, the percentage that views China as an enemy has fallen by 6 points since last year.
Democrats have also shown a decreasing trend in identifying China as the primary threat to the U.S.; only 28% regard it as such now, down from 40% in 2023. Republicans, on the other hand, have experienced a more modest decrease of 5 points in this belief.
For Democrats, the shift in perception relates to a growing number of individuals identifying Russia as the top threat facing the U.S.
The survey findings indicate substantial changes in partisan views regarding China’s global presence. In 2024, Republicans were 10 points more likely than their Democratic counterparts to believe that China’s global influence was growing. Now, individuals from both parties are equally inclined to hold this belief.
Additionally, Republicans who once considered China the leading global power, both economically and militarily, are no longer as dominant in this regard, as Democrats have also begun to adopt these views.
On matters of trade and tariffs, it is evident that Americans perceive the U.S.-China trade relationship as heavily imbalanced. Nearly half of the respondents, 46%, believe China benefits more from the trade dynamics with the U.S. Conversely, about a quarter hold the view that both nations benefit equally, while only 10% think the U.S. has the upper hand in this relationship.
A majority of Republicans concur that China has the advantage in the U.S.-China trade arena. Democrats, however, appear divided on this notion, with some believing both countries benefit equally, while others feel China benefits more.
In comparing U.S. trade dynamics with Canada and Mexico, Americans express a stronger sentiment that the U.S.-China trade relationship is more unbalanced. Only 26% believe Canada benefits more than the U.S. in trade, while 29% express similar views about Mexico.
Additionally, Americans largely harbor skepticism regarding the effectiveness of increased tariffs on China. About half of the respondents assert that these tariffs will be detrimental to the U.S. economy, while a similar share believes the tariffs will negatively impact their personal finances.
Among Democrats, a notable 80% perceive the tariffs as harmful to the nation, and 75% believe they will personally be affected negatively. Republicans offer a more optimistic outlook; although 17% think the tariffs will personally benefit them, they more often believe the tariffs will be beneficial for the country (44% vs. 24%).
This evolving landscape in American attitudes towards China reflects shifting political sentiments and economic realities that may continue to influence the dynamics of U.S.-China relations in the future.
image source from：https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/04/17/negative-views-of-china-have-softened-slightly-among-americans/
