More people around the world now favour China over the US, Pew study suggests

Key Points:

• A Pew Research Center study reveals that China is now viewed more positively than the US in 25 of 36 countries surveyed, marking the first time such a trend has been recorded by the organization since 2002.
• The survey, which polled over 42,000 people across 36 countries, found record-high favorable views of China, especially in middle-income countries, while perceptions of the US have declined steadily in recent years.
• Confidence in both leaders, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, was generally low, though Xi received higher confidence ratings than Trump in many countries, with Pakistan showing the highest confidence in Xi and the Philippines in Trump.
• While more respondents believe the US respects personal freedoms more than China, China is perceived to interfere less in other countries' affairs, with 75% viewing US interference as significant compared to 45% for China.
• Experts attribute the shift to the volatility and coercive nature of recent US policies, including military actions and economic measures, which have caused unease globally, whereas China's technological progress and less aggressive foreign policy have improved its image.