The brightest smile doesn’t help: China’s Xi Jinping enjoys more respect than US President Donald Trump.Image: keystone
A study shows that people around the world distrust both China and the USA. But if they had to choose, Xi Jinping would be better off.
July 16, 2026, 7:17 p.mJuly 16, 2026, 7:17 p.m
It is the first time that China is ahead of the USA in terms of global reputation, reports BBC. The US think tank Pew Research Center surveyed over 42,000 people from 36 countries between February and May 2026. People generally have little trust in both US President Trump and China’s head of state Xi Jinping – usually less than half of the people in a country. Nevertheless, Xi is ahead.
Only 4 percent of people in the West Bank are more likely to trust Trump than Xi
The people in Pakistan are most clearly behind China at 90 percent; 83 percent of them have more trust in Xi than in Trump. In contrast, only eleven percent of Japanese prefer China and only seven percent of them trust Xi more than Trump.
The US President, in turn, enjoys the greatest trust from people in the Philippines at 68 percent. The greatest distrust, however, exists in the West Bank with only four percent of people who tend to trust Trump.
There are only six countries where the USA enjoys a little more prestige than China: Poland, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Japan and Israel.
China interferes less in other countries’ affairs
Middle-income countries in particular tend to favor China, while wealthy ones are more likely to distrust the great power in Asia. Only Singapore deviates from the course and also leans more towards China.
According to those surveyed, the USA respects personal freedom more than China, but China does not interfere as often in the interests of other countries. There was a clear shift in positive attitudes towards China, particularly in Spain, Indonesia, Italy, Greece and Canada.
Visiting researcher at the Carnegie China Research Center, Chong Ja Ian, also has an explanation for the postponement: “The unpredictability of US policy, including the use of force and the resulting economic damage, has unsettled many,” he tells the BBC.
Nevertheless, one should not forget that Xi leads China in an authoritarian manner. China may seem more predictable, but that doesn’t change Xi’s leadership style. (front)