{
  "id": 8932085,
  "title": "Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/survey-finds-us-public-opinion-shifting-in-favour-of-engagement-with",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T14:00:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3368174/survey-finds-us-public-opinion-shifting-favour-engagement-china"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent survey has revealed a shifting public opinion in favor of engaging with China among Americans ahead of the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the poll released on Monday, Americans view China less as a threat, are less supportive of Taiwan, and are more inclined towards engagement over containment compared to previous years.\n\nThe Chicago Council on Global Affairs conducted the survey, which found that 57% of Americans favored engaging with China, an increase from the all-time low of 40% in 2024 and the highest result since 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. This preference for engagement stands at 68% in 2019 but remains below the 44% level recorded in 2015 during the last summit between a US and Chinese president on US soil.\n\nThe \"feeling thermometer\" used in the survey measured Americans' views on China on a scale of 0 to 100, with the current rating of 39 indicating a warmer sentiment compared to the 26 in 2024 but still relatively cool, having reached a peak of 53 in 1986. This shift in public opinion coincided with the May 2026 trip by Trump to China, which resulted in agreements aimed at stabilizing the relationship.\n\nPartisan differences remained evident, with Democrats showing a greater inclination towards engagement, with 72% of liberal Democrats and 64% of moderate or conservative Democrats supporting it. In contrast, only 57% of Republicans who identify as Trump supporters favored engagement with China, highlighting a divergence among his base.\n\nNegative perceptions of China were attributed in part to various negative news events in recent years, including the pandemic, the visit of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, strained summits, and the controversial \"spy balloon\" incident over the US. These factors contributed to a decline in US public opinion of China from 2020 to 2024.\n\nThe survey also showed that Americans believe China's global standing has improved compared to a decade ago, while the US has lost respect internationally. While Democrats and independent voters largely echoed this sentiment, a majority of Republicans disagreed, reflecting the divergent views within the Republican base. The survey did not directly address whether this shift in public opinion is primarily due to China's actions or US policies, leaving room for further analysis.",
  "summary": "On the eve of this week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Americans feel better about China, according to a poll released on Monday. They see Beijing as less of a threat, are less supportive of Taiwan and are more likely to favour engagement over containment than last year or in 2024, when views hit an all-time low. As with almost everything in the US…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Southeast Asia supports multilateralism, wary of US or China leadership: survey",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/southeast-asia-supports-multilateralism-wary-of-us-or-china",
        "published": "2026-09-21T11:41:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}