More Americans hold positive views of China: Survey

A new survey found more Americans hold a positive view on China than in 2021, as Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the U.S. for the first time in more than a decade.

The Pew Research survey asked people to rate China, along with other countries, on a “feeling thermometer” ranging from 0 to 100, where a low score correlates to a “cold and negative” feeling.

Americans give China an average rating of 37, up from 28 in 2021, when the country was coming out of the coronavirus pandemic that many blamed on Beijing. The share of respondents with a warm view of China, which is defined as a score of 51 and above, increased from 11 percent in 2021 to 19 percent this year.

Neutral views, or those rated at exactly 50, increased from 20 percent to 27 percent. The share of respondents with cold views, at 49 and below, fell from 68 percent to 54 percent. Those with very cold views, at 24 and below, also dropped from 47 percent to 34 percent.

The survey results noted that Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents have significantly warmer views of China than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents do at 43 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

Still, people in both parties have warmer views toward China in the new survey than in the last one. For Democrats, 26 percent held a warm view compared with 15 percent in 2021, while 10 percent of Republicans held a warm view, doubling the 5 percent seen in 2021.

The results come as bilateral talks begin between U.S. and Chinese leaders, which are expected to concern the development of artificial intelligence and trade issues. In his Thursday remarks, Xi said that both countries share a responsibility “to develop and manage AI for good and ensure that a development of AI is always under human control and serves the well-being of the people.”

President Trump stated before Xi arrived that he wanted to leave AI “exactly where it is. That is China’s position also.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Wednesday that U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to extend their trade truce by two months. The truce extends lower U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports, and China agreed to suspend its export controls on rare earth metals.

The Pew Research survey of 5,193 U.S. adults was conducted Sept. 14-20. The margin of error was 1.6 percentage points.