China Overtakes US in Global Popularity, India Still Favours America: Pew Survey

China is now viewed more positively than the United States across many countries surveyed, marking a notable shift in global public opinion as confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping has also improved, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released on Wednesday.

The survey found that China now enjoys a higher median favourability rating than the US across the 25 countries polled, reversing a trend that had favoured Washington in previous years. While perceptions of the United States have weakened in several advanced economies, China's image has improved across parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

India, however, remains an exception. The survey found that Indians continue to view the United States more favourably than China, underscoring New Delhi's deepening strategic partnership with Washington despite maintaining engagement with Beijing.

China's Image Improves

According to the Pew Research Center, a median of 41% of respondents across the surveyed countries expressed a favourable view of China, compared with 36% for the United States.

China recorded gains in favourability in several middle-income countries, while attitudes towards the US declined or remained unchanged in a number of advanced economies. The report suggests that the shift reflects changing perceptions of the two powers amid evolving geopolitical and economic dynamics.

Despite the improvement, views of China remain sharply divided across regions, with some countries continuing to hold predominantly unfavourable opinions.

Confidence In Xi Rises

The survey also found that confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping has increased compared with previous years.

While confidence in Xi remains lower than confidence in some other global leaders in many democracies, the report noted improvements in his ratings across several countries, particularly where China's economic engagement has expanded.

The findings come as Beijing continues to project itself as a stable economic and diplomatic partner through initiatives centred on trade, infrastructure and development.

US Retains Edge In India

India stood out as one of the countries where the United States continues to enjoy stronger public support than China.

According to the survey, favourable views of the US remain significantly higher among Indian respondents, reflecting the growing strategic, economic and defence partnership between New Delhi and Washington.

Confidence in US leadership also remained comparatively stronger in India than in several other countries surveyed.

Global Perceptions Shift

The findings come amid intensifying competition between the world's two largest economies for diplomatic, economic and strategic influence.

Over the past few years, both Washington and Beijing have sought to strengthen partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Latin America and Europe through trade, investment, infrastructure and security initiatives.

While the survey points to an improvement in China's global image and a relative decline in perceptions of the United States across many countries, it also highlights that public opinion remains far from uniform. India, along with a handful of other countries, continues to view the United States more favourably, illustrating how regional strategic interests continue to shape global perceptions of the two powers.