Gallup poll: China surpasses the US in 2025 global approval ratings

China surpassed the United States in global approval ratings in 2025, with a median of 36% approving of China's leadership, compared with 31% for the US, according to the latest Gallup World Poll data published on Friday.

China's five-percentage-point lead over the US is the largest margin in favor of China that Gallup has recorded in nearly two decades.

The shift in global sentiment highlights a decline in approval of US leadership, Gallup says. The median approval of US leadership dropped eight percentage points, down from 39% in 2024, returning to previously low levels. Meanwhile, approval of China's leadership rose by four percentage points, up from 32% last year.

Disapproval of US leadership reached a record high of 48%.

For the past two decades, Gallup has included in its annual World Poll a question asking residents in each country surveyed to rate the leadership of the four biggest economic or military powers: the US, China, Russia, and Germany.

The latest findings stem from Gallup surveys conducted in 2025, covering over 130 countries worldwide. It is worth noting that the results were completed before several significant events in early 2026, such as the US withdrawal from 66 international organizations in January and the outbreak of the Iran conflict in February.

China had exceeded US leadership approval ratings twice before the most recent survey: first during the Bush presidency and later during the first Trump administration.

US leadership approval declines in 44 countries

The survey also found that approval of US leadership fell by at least 10 points in 44 countries between 2024 and 2025. The slide in approval ratings was most pronounced among US allies, including many NATO members.

Germany saw the sharpest drop, with approval falling 39 points, closely followed by Portugal with a 38-point decline. Other long-standing allies such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy also reported significant decreases.

Israel stood out as an exception: approval rose by over 10 points. After surging following the October 2023 Hamas attack and then dropping sharply in 2024, approval rebounded to 76% in 2025 after Trump's return to the White House, representing a 13-point increase and marking one of the highest approval levels globally.

(Cover: Foreign tourists visit the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, on March 22, 2026. /VCG)