Chinese and American youths attend an event to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the China-US student exchanges held by the Chinese Embassy in the US on January 28, 2024. Photo: VCG

A Pew Research Center survey released on Tuesday, shows that while most Americans still hold negative views of China, the share with a favorable view has ticked up, reflecting a modest softening of US views toward China on multiple fronts, with the shift driven largely by Democrats, Democratic-leaning independents and younger adults. A Chinese expert said the poll results may offer clues for future China-US people-to-people exchanges, noting more emphasis could be placed on young Americans, and efforts should continue to present a real, nuanced and authentic picture of China, helping create more space for a steadier and more practical bilateral relationship. 

The survey, released on the Pew Research Center website under the title "Americans' views of China have grown somewhat more positive in recent years," draws on data from two Center surveys. One surveyed 3,507 US adults from March 23 to 29, and the other surveyed 8,512 US adults from January 20 to 26. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center's American Trends Panel. The surveys represent the views of the full US adult population, according to the Pew Research Center.

According to the survey, 27 percent of Americans now hold a positive opinion of China, up 6 percentage points from last year and nearly doubled since 2023, reflecting a modest softening of US views toward China on multiple fronts. When asked whether China is a partner, enemy or competitor of the US, fewer Americans now describe China as an enemy than in 2025, although most still see it as a competitor. Slightly fewer respondents than last year said China is benefiting from trade at the expense of the US.

The persistent inflation in the US and the increasingly hegemonic and exploitative nature of US foreign policy have all weakened public faith in "America First" and Washington's so-called promise of peace. Against this backdrop, China's relatively steady role in the multilateral system has made its pragmatic diplomacy easier for many in the US to apprehend, Zhu Ying, a professor from the Baize Institute at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Social media and people-to-people exchanges have also helped present a more direct and authentic image of China, said Zhu, noting that in recent years, platforms such as Xiaohongshu have given younger Americans greater exposure to everyday life in China. 

At the same time, visa facilitation measures, including visa-free transit policies and 10-year visas, have made travel to China easier for Americans. Combined with rising anti-war sentiment in the US, these factors have contributed to a softening of negative views toward China, said Zhu. 

In January 2025, overseas users flocked to the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, just days before a proposed US ban on TikTok. Reuters reported that more than half a million "TikTok refugees" moved to RedNote, sparking spontaneous cultural exchanges.

In April, events commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy were held in Shijiazhuang, and Shanghai, featuring extensive youth participation, friendly matches, and exchange activities, according to media reports.

Pew's survey results also corroborated Zhu's analysis. According to the Pew survey, younger Americans hold more positive views of China than older adults. About 34 percent of adults under 50 have a favorable opinion of China, compared with only 19 percent of those aged 50 and above.

The survey also noted that the rise in favorability has come mainly from Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, with the share holding positive views of China up 8 percentage points from last year. Favorability toward China has increased markedly in both parties since 2023.

Sun Xiuwen, an associate professor at the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University who is currently on a study tour in the US, told the Global Times that based on her observations, younger Americans tend to be more moderate in their views. Having grown up in an era shaped by globalization, the internet and cross-cultural exchanges, they see China in less ideological terms and are more receptive to the complexity of a relationship defined by both competition and cooperation. They also place greater emphasis on issues such as climate change, technology and AI, education and mobility — areas that inherently call for China-US cooperation rather than simple confrontation. 

According to the survey, Americans' views of the China-US relationship are also shifting. Fewer Americans now see China as an enemy of the US than in 2025 (28 percent vs 33 percent), while more describe it as a competitor (60 percent vs 56 percent). In both years, about one in 10 said China is a partner of the US.

The poll suggests that US views of China are growing more divided. While some tough attitudes may be softening, negative perceptions still hold a large share, and many longstanding stereotypes about China remain firmly in place, with more Americans continuing to see China as a competitor. Unfavorable views of China in the US did not emerge overnight and have built up over years, reinforced by successive administrations. Any real shift in public opinion is therefore likely to be gradual, said Zhu.

The poll may also offer clues for future China-US people-to-people exchanges. More emphasis could be placed on young Americans, public communication should be deepened, and efforts should continue to present a real, nuanced and authentic picture of China, helping create more space for a steadier and more practical bilateral relationship, said Zhu.