China surpasses US in global approval ratings in 2025: Gallup survey

China has overtaken the US in global approval ratings in 2025 as the disapproval of American leadership under President Donald Trump rose to a record 48 per cent, according to a worldwide survey by Washington-based analytics and advisory firm Gallup.

While neither China nor the US commands broad support, the survey found a median of 36 per cent approval rating of China’s leadership, compared with 31 per cent for the American leadership.

China’s five-percentage-point advantage over the US is the widest Gallup has recorded in China’s favour in nearly 20 years, the survey results published on its website said. The recent shift reflects a decline in US ratings alongside an increase for China. Median approval of US leadership fell from 39 per cent in 2024 to 31 per cent in 2025, returning to earlier lows, while China’s approval rose from 32 per cent to 36 per cent. At the same time, disapproval of US leadership rose to a record-high 48 per cent while China’s disapproval rating remained flat at 37 per cent, according to the survey.

For the past two decades, Gallup has asked residents of every country polled as part of its annual World Poll to rate the leadership of the four leading economic or military powers - the US, China, Russia and Germany.

The latest results are based on Gallup surveys conducted in 2025 in more than 130 countries, it said. The survey, however, predates several major developments in early 2026, including the US decision to withdraw from 66 international organisations in January and the outbreak of war with Iran in late February.

Germany, which was ranked as the most positively viewed major power for nine consecutive years in Gallup’s trend, spanning the chancellorships of Merkel, Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz, received the highest approval in 2025, at 48 per cent. It is followed by China at 36 per cent, the US at 31 per cent and Russia at 26 per cent. Approval of US leadership declined by 10 points or more in 44 countries between 2024 and 2025, while it increased by a similar amount in only seven. The declines were concentrated among US allies, including many NATO partners.

The US disapproval rating was high in Germany with 39 points, followed closely by Portugal (down 38 points). Several other long-standing US partners - including Canada, the UK and Italy - also showed substantial decreases, the survey said.

At the same time, the US standing improved by more than 10 points among Israelis, marking an exception among the American allies.

Approval of US leadership in Israel, which surged after the October 2023 Hamas attack and then fell sharply in 2024, rebounded to 76 per cent in 2025 after Trump’s return to the White House, a 13-point increase, among the highest levels globally.

Overall, China’s move ahead of the US more broadly reflects a decline in America’s ratings rather than an increase in ratings of China, it said. Approval of China’s leadership increased by double digits over the past year in 23 countries. However, many of China’s increases occurred in countries where US approval fell, including allies such as the UK, Spain, Italy and Ireland, it said.

The countries and territories most aligned with the US, those that have strong net approval of the US that roughly mirrors their net disapproval of China, span several regions, and include Kosovo, Israel, Poland, Albania and the Philippines, it said.