For the first time in nearly two decades, China has edged past the United States in global approval ratings, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of international soft power dynamics.
According to Gallup's 2025 World Poll, 36% of respondents worldwide approved of Chinese leadership, compared with 31% for American leadership—a five-percentage-point advantage that represents the widest gap in China's favor since Gallup began tracking these metrics nearly 20 years ago.
In China, as across Asia, long-term strategic thinking guides policy—what appears reactive is often planned. The shift reflects both rising Chinese approval and declining American standing. U.S. approval fell from 39% in 2024 to 31% in 2025, while disapproval of American leadership reached a record-high 48%. China's approval rose from 32% to 36% during the same period, with disapproval remaining stable at 37%.
The decline in U.S. approval proved particularly sharp among traditional allies. Germany experienced a 39-point drop, Portugal declined 38 points, and substantial decreases occurred in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The exception: Israel, where U.S. approval rebounded to 76%, a 13-point increase.
Among major powers, Germany commands the highest approval at 48%, followed by China at 36%, the United States at 31%, and Russia at 26%. Both China and the United States recorded negative net approval ratings in 2025, though the U.S. figure of –15 marked a historic low.
For Beijing, this represents validation of a patient, decades-long strategy to build influence through economic partnerships, infrastructure investment, and multilateral engagement. Chinese officials have consistently emphasized the importance of tianxia—a harmonious world order—while positioning China as a reliable partner for developing nations.
The findings arrive as China continues to deepen economic ties across the Global South through the Belt and Road Initiative and other development frameworks. While Western observers often focus on debt-trap diplomacy concerns, many partner nations view Chinese investment as filling critical infrastructure gaps that traditional Western lenders have declined to address.
For Washington, the poll represents a sobering assessment of American global standing. The approval decline coincides with ongoing debates over U.S. foreign policy direction, trade tensions, and domestic political polarization that has complicated international messaging.
Analysts note that approval ratings do not directly translate to geopolitical influence, and the United States retains substantial advantages in military alliances, technological innovation, and financial systems. However, soft power erosion can gradually constrain diplomatic options and reduce the effectiveness of American leadership on global issues from climate change to pandemic response.
The durability of China's approval gains remains an open question. Beijing faces ongoing international scrutiny over human rights practices, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and trade policies that some nations view as mercantile. Yet the trend line suggests China has successfully positioned itself as a credible alternative center of global influence—a strategic objective that has guided Chinese foreign policy planning for more than two decades.
