For years, U.S. foreign policy toward China—under both the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations—has focused on competition, containment and economic decoupling. The survey finds that 53 percent of Americans now say the U.S. should adopt a policy of cooperation and engagement with China, up significantly from 40 percent in 2024.
The change is largely driven by Democrats and Independents. Two thirds of Democrats (66 percent) now favor cooperation over containment, a 19-point increase from 2024. By contrast, only 33 percent of Republicans agree.
The survey shows a declining threat perception on China. The number of Americans viewing China's rise as a "critical threat" has declined to 50 percent (down from 58 percent in 2023). This is largely due to Democrats and Independents prioritizing domestic issues—such as threats to U.S. democracy and government corruption—over international security challenges.
Public opinion on trade with China has also become more positive. Americans are now evenly split on whether trade strengthens or weakens national security (48 percent vs. 47 percent), a notable reversal from 2021.
When it comes to military strength, Americans remain confident, with 53 percent saying the U.S. is stronger than China. However, views on economic strength are split, with roughly one third seeing the U.S. as stronger (34 percent), a third seeing China as stronger (33 percent) and one third seeing them as equal (31 percent).
While Americans broadly support engagement, they remain firmly committed to two pillars of U.S. policy. Across party lines, they agree on two top goals: avoiding a military conflict with China (62 percent) and maintaining the U.S. edge in high technology (58 percent).
"This shift in public attitudes may disquiet some Democrats in Congress, especially those who have focused on competition with China as a key part of their political agenda, and may boost support for those who have argued for a more diplomacy-forward approach to Beijing," Craig Kafura, Director of public opinion and foreign policy at the CCGA wrote in an introduction to the survey on the council's website.
Founded in 1922, the CCGA is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes public understanding and engagement in global issues. The 2025 Chicago Council Survey, conducted online by market research company Ipsos from July 18-30 among 2,148 U.S. adults nationwide, included respondents from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The survey, offered in English and Spanish, has a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points.
The Chicago Council Survey is not alone in showing a trend of decreasing public antipathy toward China. A July Pew Research Center survey of 24 countries shows that China's international image is improving, while views of the U.S. have deteriorated. Across the countries surveyed, views of China and the U.S. are now closer.
Survey results like these carry important implications for analysts across U.S.-China policy areas. Those focusing on U.S.-China competition must now contend with a more complex domestic audience: The public is no longer uniformly in favor of confrontation.
More importantly, the survey presents a challenging picture for policymakers. Ignoring these shifts risks eroding public support for an otherwise hard-liner China policy. Policymakers now face the difficult task of balancing this evolving sentiment—working with China on shared global challenges such as climate change and public health, while safeguarding U.S. interests and maintaining leverage. This is a question that demands thoughtful consideration and strategic planning. BR
