A new academic study tracking Chinese public opinion before and after the 2020 and 2024 US presidential elections suggests that the perception of the United States is related more to political changes and policy signals than to entrenched anti-American ideology.And the survey – conducted after Donald Trump won the election in November 2024, but before he returned to the White House for his second presidential term and the subsequent trade war – reveals a pivotal shift in Chinese public confidence about withstanding US economic pressure, even with US tariffs and technology controls.
It suggests that years of strategic competition have not crippled Chinese economic confidence but have instead fostered a perception of increased self-reliance and durability.
The research, published in The Chinese Journal of International Politics, a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal, challenged the notion of entrenched, ideology-driven anti-Americanism in China, pointing instead to a public that closely watches and responds to Washington’s political signals.
Preliminary framework agreed ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
Preliminary framework agreed ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
The surveys involved 2,083 responses from Chinese adults in 2020 before the election and early in 2021 after Biden was inaugurated, and 1,702 in 2024 just before and after Americans went to the polls.
