Pew Research Center reports that people in 25 of 36 surveyed countries now have a more favorable view of China than of the United States. The findings were published July 15, 2026, as part of a large polling project covering three dozen-plus nations.

Across 37 countries, a median of 51% of people say they view China positively, while 39% view it unfavorably. China's favorable ratings have generally risen since 2023, while U.S. ratings have gone down over the same period, according to the Pew survey.

The United States still holds one advantage: people still rate the U.S. higher than China when it comes to respecting personal freedoms. But that gap is getting smaller, Pew found. China has not overtaken the U.S. on this specific measure. The distance between the two is simply shrinking.

The falling U.S. numbers line up with another Pew report from June 23, 2026, called "Trump Gets Negative Reviews Internationally as Fewer Say U.S. Is a Reliable Partner." That report, based on the same survey, found that international opinions of the U.S. presidency and American trustworthiness have gotten worse.

Inside the United States, opinion is actually moving in the opposite direction, though from a low level. As of 2026, 27% of Americans say they have a positive view of China. That is up 6 percentage points from the year before and nearly double what it was in 2023, according to Pew. Still, it remains far below a majority, and this data came out in April 2026, three months before the larger July report.

The survey covers a wide range of countries across multiple regions. The 36-country core survey and the 37-country China-focused dataset use the same method, which makes it possible to compare how people view China and the U.S. side by side.

The data does not explain why this shift is happening. China's rising ratings and America's falling ratings could be separate trends, they could be pushing each other along, or people could be comparing the two countries against each other. Pew reports the numbers but does not test a single explanation.

The broader context here is what the narrowing gap on personal freedoms might tell us. If people still think the U.S. respects individual rights more, but overall like China better, then they may be weighing other things more heavily when they form their opinion of a country — things like economic opportunity or strategic partnerships. That would challenge the idea that being a democracy is what most decides how people around the world feel about a nation.

The 25-of-36 number is also a snapshot, not a full picture over time. Pew shows movement since 2023, but does not pinpoint exactly when China's favorability first surpassed that of the U.S. in a majority of surveyed countries. What is clear is that the shift happened within a three-year window and is recorded as of mid-2026.

The practical question this raises is about what experts call "soft power" — a country's ability to win friends and influence through appeal and attraction rather than force. Think of it like a brand reputation: the more people like your country, the easier it is for your leaders to negotiate deals, build alliances, and persuade others. A 51% favorable rating for China, with U.S. numbers heading down, changes the backdrop for trade talks, security agreements, and diplomatic negotiations. It does not guarantee any particular outcome. But it does change the math for leaders in other countries who are deciding whether to work more closely with Washington or Beijing.