A global opinion survey released on April 3 by US polling firm Gallup shows that China surpassed the US in global approval ratings in 2025.
The following are excerpts from the original report:
While neither country commands broad support, China surpassed the United States in global approval ratings in 2025, with a median of 36% approving of China's leadership, compared with 31% for the U.S. China's five-percentage-point advantage over the U.S. is the widest Gallup has recorded in China's favor in nearly 20 years.
The recent shift reflects a decline in U.S. ratings alongside an increase for China. Median approval of U.S. leadership fell from 39% in 2024 to 31% in 2025, returning to earlier lows, while China's approval rose from 32% to 36%.
At the same time, disapproval of U.S. leadership rose to a record-high 48%, while China's disapproval rating remained flat at 37%.
For the past two decades, Gallup has asked residents of every country polled as part of its annual World Poll to rate the leadership of the four leading economic or military powers — the U.S., China, Russia and Germany.
The latest results are based on Gallup surveys conducted in 2025 in more than 130 countries; they notably predate several major developments in early 2026, including the U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organizations in January and the outbreak of war with Iran in late February.
Approval of U.S. leadership has varied considerably across presidential administrations, from George W. Bush's second to Donald Trump's second. It has ranged from a low of 30% in the first and last years of Trump's first term to a high of 49% in 2009, under President Barack Obama.
While low, China's ratings have changed little by comparison, with President Xi Jinping leading that country continuously since 2013. In 2025, approval of China rose to a median of 36%, which is higher than its typical level in the low 30s over much of the past two decades.
Before the most recent survey, China had led the U.S. in leadership approval twice: once during the Bush administration and once during the first Trump administration.
U.S. Ratings Fall Sharply Across Countries
Approval of U.S. leadership declined by 10 points or more in 44 countries between 2024 and 2025, while it increased by a similar amount in only seven. The declines were concentrated among U.S. allies, including many NATO partners.
Germany led the world in declines; its approval of U.S. leadership fell by 39 points, followed closely by Portugal (down 38 points). Several other long-standing U.S. partners — including Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy — also showed substantial decreases.
U.S. standing improved by more than 10 points among Israelis, marking an exception among U.S. allies. Approval of U.S. leadership in Israel, which surged after the October 2023 Hamas attack and then fell sharply in 2024, rebounded to 76% in 2025 after Trump's return to the White House — a 13-point increase, among the highest levels globally.
These patterns echo the distribution of declines seen at the start of Trump's first term, when approval dropped most sharply among U.S. allies. The current shift is widespread, with large declines spanning many countries and regions.
Overall, China's move ahead of the U.S. more broadly reflects a decline in U.S. ratings rather than an increase in China's ratings. Approval of China's leadership increased by double digits over the past year in 23 countries (versus 44 showing a similar decrease for the U.S.). However, many of China's increases occurred in countries where U.S. approval fell, including allies such as the U.K., Spain, Italy and Ireland.
(Source: Gallup)
Related News:
Opinion | Democracy is broken—America's fall from greatness into the gutter
Comment