The coronavirus has done a number on China’s favorability in the United States.
A poll from Pew Research Center conducted throughout March and released this week found that two-thirds of adults in the U.S. had an unfavorable view of China — the highest unfavorable rating the country has received in the 15 years that the research center has asked the question. Just 26% of respondents reported a favorable view of China, tying with the lowest level, which was set last year.
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China’s unfavorability has jumped 20 percentage points since President Trump took office in 2017. While more Republicans have unfavorable views of the nation than Democrats, both parties have followed a similar trend in growing distaste and reported their highest unfavorability ratings to date.
The Chinese Communist Party has been accused of covering up and lying about data related to the coronavirus outbreak, which began in Wuhan, China, late last year. American officials reportedly believe the virus may have accidentally been released from a government lab in Wuhan rather than being caused by a transspecies infection related to the consumption of bat meat, as the party first claimed.
While some have lauded the Chinese government for donating supplies to areas ravaged by the coronavirus, most U.S. adults do not want to see China as the leading world power. Ninety-one percent of respondents reported that it is better for the world if the U.S. is the leading world power, and 71% reported “no confidence” in Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping’s leadership.
Nearly 9 out of 10 respondents reported that they see China as a threat to the U.S., with 62% listing the country as a “major threat.” Respondents listed China’s effect on the environment, cybersecurity, and trade as areas of concern.
Younger respondents showed the highest favorability toward China, with 43% reporting a favorable view and 54%, a record high, reporting an unfavorable view.
The poll was conducted from March 3 to 29 and included responses from 1,000 adults living in the U.S. The data set had a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.
