Americans are warming up to China as a trade war between the world’s two largest economies continues to bubble, according to a new poll from the Pew Research Center.
Survey findings show a four percent decrease in Americans’ unfavorable opinion of China. Last year, 84 percent of Americans had an unfavorable view of China compared to 77 percent of survey participants in 2025.
It marks the first drop in five years. The shift comes as the Trump administration remains at a standoff with counterparts overseas regarding reciprocal tariffs, which stand at a 145 percent rate for imports from China.
Beijing’s leaders have pushed back against the uptick in levies with a 125 percent tariff on imports from the U.S. and refusing to admit the country’s gas exports amid an objection to other products manufactured nationally.
Data from the poll shows that one in four Americans believe China benefits more than the U.S. in their trade relationship. Ten percent believe the U.S. benefits more, while 25 percent say both countries benefit equally, 2 percent say neither benefit, and 16 percent are unsure.
However, a majority of respondents, 52 percent, said they believe tariffs will be bad for the U.S.
Comparatively, 24 percent of people said they would be good for the country, 6 percent said there would be no effect and 19 percent were unsure.
President Trump’s decision to grant a 90 day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except China left the two countries intertwined in a heated face off. The White House said countries are racing to negotiate trade agreements despite Beijing’s rebuttal.
“The world is ready to work with President Trump to fix global trade, and China has chosen the opposite direction,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on social platform X last Thursday.
China described the Trump administration’s move as self-serving and said it will go the distance in a trade war.
“If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said this past Wednesday.
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