In December 1978, China’s top leaders repudiated Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution and began opening up and reforming their economy. Soon after, the United States broke diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, aka Taiwan, and established relations with the People’s Republic of China.
As a result, China’s popularity in the U.S. soared to its highest point in modern times. Seventy-two percent in early 1979, according to Gallup polling, held favorable views of the world’s most populous country. Gallup surveys over the past decade have shown that at least half of the public believes China is already the world’s leading economic power. Of course, we don’t know yet what impact China’s latest pandemic and housing troubles will have on these perceptions.
Still, America’s positive attitude toward China has cratered in recent years. Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its intensification of economic rivalry has substantially altered U.S. opinions.
According to a Pew Research report published in September, the public’s views of China were generally positive in the years preceding Xi Jinping’s presidency. They became more negative as bilateral relations worsened, especially over China’s expansionism in the South China Sea and controversies related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Views of China improved in the first part of President Donald Trump’s administration. But between 2018 and 2019, the tariff war jacked up negative perceptions of China, especially among Republicans. Then came the pandemic, and that made it worse.
Based on Gallup polling conducted in early 2022, China is now seen as America’s greatest enemy. Two-thirds of Americans, the most ever, view its military power as a “critical threat” to U.S. interests, and 57% see its economic power on the same order of magnitude. The public sees China’s military power as more of a “critical threat” than the spread of infectious diseases, global warming, or the Russia-Ukraine war.
The public perceives China not only as a threat but as an actual adversary. In polling recently conducted by the Economist/YouGov, only 12% of U.S. voters regard China as an ally or friend, and 79% deem it to be unfriendly or an enemy. Though China’s ratings are not quite as bad as Russia’s (6% ally/friendly, 87% unfriendly/enemy), North Korea’s (10% ally/friendly, 79% unfriendly/enemy), or Iran’s (8% ally/friendly, 80% unfriendly/enemy), they nonetheless place China into the club of menacing foes.
While Democratic Party concern about China runs high, Republican anxiety nears fever pitch. Heavy majorities across the political spectrum think of China as unfriendly or as an enemy, including two-thirds of Democrats and nearly three-fourths of Republicans. At the same time, only 20% of Democrats and 11% of Republicans see China as an ally or friend. A survey taken shortly before the recent midterm elections found that as many as 83% of “likely” voters viewed China as an adversary, with 74% of Joe Biden’s 2020 supporters and 88% of Trump’s supporters in agreement.
The evolution of attitudes toward China is striking: In 2015, Gallup found that Russia was perceived by most of the public as the greatest enemy, followed by North Korea, China, and Iran. In 2018, only 11% saw China as its greatest enemy; that went up to 21% in 2019, 22% in 2020, and doubled to more than 45% in 2021. In early 2022, polling found that 49% saw China as its chief enemy, more than Russia (31%), North Korea (6%), or Iran (2%).
Times change, and so does public opinion. Russia’s war with Ukraine has intensified concerns about national security and created new uncertainties. But the public increasingly sees China’s threat looming over it all.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER’S CONFRONTING CHINA SERIES
Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst and writer. He publishes LunchtimePolitics.com, a nationwide newsletter on polls and public opinion and is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
