The Daily Populous Saturday April 4th, 2026 morning edition
Authored by news.gallup.com and submitted by ImperiumRome

WASHINGTON, D.C. — 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.

Germany, China Earn Higher Approval Than U.S.

Notably, none of the four major powers rated as part of the World Poll earns majority approval across the world today, although Germany achieved it once, in 2020 under Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany — which has ranked as the most positively viewed major power for nine consecutive years in Gallup’s trend, spanning the chancellorships of Merkel, Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz — receives the highest approval in 2025, at 48%. It is followed by China at 36%, the United States at 31% and Russia at 26%.

China Leads U.S. in Net Approval, Though Both Are Negative

Looking at net approval — the percentage who approve minus those who disapprove — provides a more complete view of global sentiment toward the U.S. and China.

2025 was only the second year on record in which both Washington and Beijing registered negative net approval ratings worldwide. China's median net approval of –1 was barely negative, while the median net approval of –15 for the U.S. was its lowest on record, marginally below the –13 measured in 2020.

Net approval of China fell gradually for several years after 2008, but first turned negative in 2020 and has remained negative since. By contrast, net approval of the United States has fluctuated more in line with changes in political leadership.

In 2025, as both approval and disapproval shifted for the U.S. and China, the percentage expressing no opinion reached some of the lowest levels seen in the past two decades. This suggests that global views of both powers are becoming more defined, with more people forming clear opinions in both positive and negative directions.

More Countries Lean Toward China Than the U.S.

Comparing net approval at the country level reveals which ones lean toward one power over the other in terms of public opinion. The countries and territories most aligned with the U.S. — those that have strong net approval of the U.S. that roughly mirrors their net disapproval of China — span several regions, and include Kosovo, Israel, Poland, Albania and the Philippines.

On the other side, Russia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Singapore and Hong Kong show the strongest relative alignment with China, though notably, their preferences reflect deep negativity toward the U.S. more than strong enthusiasm for China.

Grouping countries by their relative net approval figures offers a clearer picture of alignment strength. Countries with a gap above 50 points in either direction are classified as strongly aligned; gaps of 30-49 points indicate aligned; 10-29 points, weakly aligned; and 0-9 points, contested.

Despite China's overall lead in net approval, most countries do not have a strong preference for one power over the other. Last year, 8% of countries were strongly aligned with China, compared with 5% strongly aligned with the United States. Alongside the 30% of countries with no clear alignment, another 40% are only weakly aligned to either power: 32% to China and 8% to the U.S.

Nearly Half of All Countries Hold a Negative View of Both Powers

China leads the U.S. on three leadership approval statistics: global median approval (36% vs. 31%), net approval (–1 vs. –15), and relative net approval (54% of countries aligned vs. 16%). Yet Beijing’s advantage over Washington tells only part of the story.

Nearly half of all countries surveyed last year (45%) delivered negative net approval ratings to both powers, meaning more people disapproved than approved of each. Fewer than one in three countries (29%) gave positive net approval ratings to both. Aside from 2020, when fewer countries were surveyed because of the pandemic, this is the most negative the world has been toward both powers in two decades.

The shifting perceptions of U.S. leadership over the past two decades reflect a world that has moved toward a more multipolar order. Many countries, particularly U.S. allies, may be open to balancing relationships across major powers than aligning clearly with one.

For policymakers in some allied countries, this may make alignment with the U.S. more politically sensitive, even as engagement with China appears somewhat more acceptable. For businesses and investors, it signals a less predictable environment, where public sentiment may shape market access, regulation and partnerships.

Stay up to date with the latest insights by following @Gallup on X and on Instagram.

For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works.

Scarlet_Bard on April 4th, 2026 at 02:58 UTC »

We are entering the era in which China is becoming the world’s most powerful nation. This has been made possible by two major factors: the foresight and skill of the Chinese government, and the choice of the American people in electing Donald Trump as president, and the wholesale destruction of America that follows and continues as we watch.

DraggonWarrior on April 4th, 2026 at 01:49 UTC »

I think this reflects the US losing recent ground more than China gaining it. It also seems like expectations play a role countries tend to expect more restraint and consistency from the US so when it falls short it’s judged more harshly than China which is often assumed to act more directly in its own interests.

ImperiumRome on April 4th, 2026 at 01:37 UTC »

Submission Statement: 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%.