Many Americans are changing their attitudes towards China, according to a Pew survey.

 

Americans' attitudes toward China are becoming somewhat more positive, even as the ongoing trade war between the world's two largest economies continues, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.

According to the survey results, Americans' negative attitudes toward China have decreased by 7 percentage points. While 84 percent of Americans expressed an unfavorable view of China in 2024, that number has dropped to 77 percent in 2025.

This is the first such decrease in the past five years. The change in attitudes comes at a time when the Trump administration is at a standstill over reciprocal tariffs with China, which has resulted in a 145 percent tariff on goods imported from China.

In response, Beijing has imposed a 125 percent tariff on US goods and has refused to accept US gas exports, as well as opposing other domestically produced goods.

According to the survey, one in four Americans believes that China is benefiting the most from the China-US trade relationship. Ten percent think the United States benefits more, 25 percent think both countries benefit equally, 2 percent say neither benefits, and 16 percent couldn’t answer.

But the majority of respondents—52 percent—think the tariffs will be bad for the United States.

In contrast, 24 percent say they will be good for the country, 6 percent say they will have no impact, and 19 percent are undecided.

President Trump recently announced a 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs—but not just on China. The U.S. and China have been locked in a heated trade dispute. The White House says countries around the world are now working to reach a trade deal, although Beijing has been defensive.

Commerce Secretary Howard Latnick said on social media on Thursday that “the world is ready to work with President Trump, but China is going the opposite way.”

China has called the Trump administration’s decision self-centered and said it will continue to fight the trade war to the end.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday that “if the United States ignores its own interests, China’s interests and the interests of the world and decides to continue with tariffs and trade wars, China’s response will continue to the end.”