World sees China and Xi more favourably than the US and Trump: Survey

In just 18 months, US President Donald Trump has damaged the country's standing to such an extent that much of the world now views China and its leader, Xi Jinping, more favourably than the United States, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

In 25 of the 36 countries and territories surveyed, people held more favourable views of China and Xi than of Trump and the United States.

The finding marks a sharp break from a years-long trend in which the United States had consistently been viewed more favourably than Communist China.

But, as Trump has frequently antagonised allies and partners, imposed tariffs on them, interfered in their domestic politics in an effort to topple elected governments, and aligned himself with some of their longstanding adversaries, growing numbers of people are now viewing the United States unfavourably.

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The survey found that Trump's unprovoked war on Iran and his threats towards allies and partners had damaged the United States' standing around the world.

Trump has threatened to invade and occupy Denmark's Greenland island and annex Canada as the 51st US state. He has also imposed steep tariffs on allies and partners, including 50 per cent tariffs on India, while refraining from imposing any tariffs on Russia and Iran.

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"There was just an actual relationship between the outbreak of the war and the sense that the United States is just not contributing to peace and stability and that people have less confidence in Donald Trump," Laura Silver, Associate Director of Pew's Global Attitudes Research, told The Associated Press.

By comparison, the survey found that China is seen as a more reliable partner in many parts of the world and is more likely to be viewed as contributing to global peace and stability, according to Silver.

As expected, Canada and Europe recorded some of the sharpest shifts in opinion. While 57 per cent of Canadians held a favourable view of the United States in 2023, that figure had fallen to 33 per cent this year. Over the same period, favourable views of China rose from 14 per cent to 44 per cent.