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Americans Reverse Course on US-China Competition

This report is a Public Opinion Survey titled “Americans Reverse Course on US-China Competition,” published by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Summary of Key Findings

The survey, conducted in July 2025, reveals a significant shift in American public opinion regarding the US approach to China, moving away from a primary focus on “great power competition” toward a preference for cooperation.

  1. Preference for Cooperation:
  • A majority of Americans (53%) now favor a policy of “friendly cooperation and engagement” with China, up from 40% in 2024. This is the first time since 2019 that a majority has favored cooperation over active limitation.
  • The shift is driven primarily by Democrats (66% favor cooperation) and Independents (56% favor cooperation).
  • Republicans remain committed to competition, with a majority (63%) preferring to actively work to limit China’s power.
  1. Decline in Threat Perception:
  • Fewer Americans now view the development of China as a world power as a critical threat to the United States (50%) compared to 58% in 2023.
  • Similarly, the emphasis on limiting China’s global influence as a very important foreign policy goal has declined to 39%.
  1. Views on Trade and Tariffs:
  • American opinions are now nearly evenly divided on whether US-China trade strengthens (47%) or weakens (48%) US national security. This is a notable change from 2024, when a majority believed trade weakened national security.
  • A majority of Americans (54%) oppose higher tariffs on Chinese imports.
  • Across party lines, a strong majority (66%) favors reducing tariffs on Chinese imports in exchange for China reducing its trade deficit.
  1. Perception of Power:
  • Americans are now nearly split on which country is the stronger economic power: 34% say the US, 33% say China, and 31% say they are equal.
  • The public remains confident in US military superiority, with 53% saying the United States is militarily stronger than China.

Credibility

The source, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, is a highly credible and non-partisan think tank with a long history of conducting public opinion research on U.S. foreign policy.

  • Source Authority: The Chicago Council is a well-established institution known for its rigorous analysis and commitment to policy-relevant research. Its “Lester Crown Center on US Foreign Policy” is a recognized authority in the field.
  • Methodology Transparency: The report explicitly states the survey’s methodology: it is the 2025 Chicago Council Survey, fielded by Ipsos using its Knowledge Panel, a large-scale, national online research panel. The specific dates (July 18–30, 2025) and sample sizes (e.g., n=2,148) are provided, allowing for professional scrutiny of the data.
  • Conclusion: The report is based on a transparent, professionally conducted, and methodologically sound public opinion survey by a respected, non-partisan organization. Therefore, the findings presented are highly credible.