A survey by a top think tank based in Washington, released on April 14, revealed a shift in American public perception regarding international leadership, as confidence in President Donald Trump’s China policy declined while President Xi Jinping’s standing reached a multi-year high among people in the US.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in 2019, during Trump's first term, in Osaka, Japan, on the sidelines of a G20 summit. This meeting took place amid an escalating trade war between the two nations, which had seen both sides impose significant tariffs on each other's goods in the preceding months. (Reuters File Photo)

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in 2019, during Trump’s first term, in Osaka, Japan, on the sidelines of a G20 summit. This meeting took place amid an escalating trade war between the two nations, which had seen both sides impose significant tariffs on each other’s goods in the preceding months. (Reuters File Photo)

A majority of Americans continue to express more confidence in Trump than in the Chinese leader, but the gap between the two has narrowed significantly in the backdrop of global instability, such as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, and Trump’s planned trip to China in May.

The findings by Pew Research Centre are based on two distinct waves of data collection, one before and the other after the start of the current Iran war. The first phase of research was conducted in January 2026, and the second from March 23 to 29. But even at the time of the first round of the survey, tensions were already elevated following last year’s 12-day conflict with Iran.

According to the report, about 39% of Americans expressed confidence in Trump to make “good decisions” regarding US policy toward China. This is a steady decline from 45% in August 2025 and 48% a year before that. At the same time, confidence in President Xi Jinping to “do the right thing regarding world affairs” has risen to 17%. This is a significant increase from the 8% confidence level recorded in 2023.

3 key findings from Pew surveyGrowing favourability for China: Now, 27% of Americans hold a positive opinion of China, an increase from 21% last year. And nearly double the 14% recorded in 2023. However, the increase in China’s favourability is largely driven by the US Opposition Democratic Party and leaning independents. Americans’ confidence in Trump to make good policy decisions toward China is slipping, though.What about Trump’s own party? While 71% of Republicans remain confident in Donald Trump’s ability to handle America’s China policy, only 11% of Democrats share that sentiment. Overall, about 39% express confidence today, down from 45% last August, that Trump can make good decisions about China.Not just an enemy: Only 28% of Americans now categorise China as an “enemy”, a decrease from 33% in 2025 and 42% in 2024. Younger Americans, meaning those under the age of 50, are much more likely to hold positive views of China and are significantly less likely to view the nation as an enemy, finds Pew.How Americans see China: Trends shifting

The survey indicates that a majority of Americans, at 60%, now see China as a “competitor” rather than either a partner or just an enemy. Despite Trump’s tariff-related rhetoric, fewer respondents now believe that China is benefiting from trade at the expense of the United States.

But Xi still faces substantial hostility among the American public. Data shows that 71% of Americans lack confidence in him, including 36% who have “no confidence at all”. However, there’s been a four-point growth in his confidence rating over each of the last two years.

The Pew Research Centre utilised a nationally representative panel of randomly selected US adults for this research. It employed address-based sampling to ensure a broad demographic reach, it said in its media release.

Trump-Xi meet coming

The last visit by a US President to China was also by Trump, in November 2017, during his first term. He is reportedly set to return to Beijing for a summit on May 14, 2026.

President Xi Jinping last visited the US in November 2023 for the APEC summit in San Francisco. After Trump’s May trip, a reciprocal visit by Xi to Washington is planned for later in 2026, according to a Reuters report.

The two leaders had also met in Japan in 2019 and eased their then trade war. After Trump got power again last year, he started a tariff assault again. But now the tariff on China is mostly just 10% after the US Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump had exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs on China, India, Brazil, and others.