Fewer Americans Now View China As An Enemy Amid Shifting Opinions On Trade And Tariffs, Pew Survey Finds

American attitudes toward China have improved marginally after years of consistent decline, as per latest findings from the Pew Research Center. While cynicism remains high, there are indications of a shift in tone.

What Happened: A March 2025 Pew survey of over 3,600 U.S. adults revealed that unfavorable opinions of China have gone from 81% to 77% since last year. The proportion of Americans who perceive China as an absolute enemy also dropped, from 42% to 33%.

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Why It Matters: This shift in views comes in the middle of mounting economic friction, including a series of tariffs introduced by the Trump administration and retaliatory tactics from Beijing.

The survey revealed that Republicans are now just as likely to label China as a competitor as they are to see it as an enemy. There is an even split that had not been observed in the past.

Democrats, meanwhile, have directed attention toward other global players. "There's been a noticeable change in the way Americans frame the U.S.-China relationship, particularly among conservatives," said Pew researcher Laura Silver.

The report also highlights doubts about the efficacy of tariffs. Among Republicans, 44% said they believe the new tariffs on China will help the U.S., while only 24% think they will cause harm. However, only 17% expect the tariffs to positively impact their personal finances.

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On the contrary, 80% of Democrats say the tariffs will hurt the country, and 75% believe their situation will be negatively impacted. "Trade relations are still viewed as lopsided, and skepticism about tariffs is significant," said Silver.

The Latest Update

At a press briefing Tuesday, President Trump reacted to comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had called the current tariff levels "unsustainable". Trump said that the current 145% tariff rate would not be maintained long-term, and that it would be reduced "substantially." "It won't be that high, not going to be that high," he said. Still, he made clear, "It won't be zero."

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