Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China

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Magnier, M. (2026, September 21). Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3368174/survey-finds-us-public-opinion-shifting-favour-engagement-china?utm_source=rss_feed

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Quick Summary

A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs indicates a shift in US public opinion towards more engagement with China, viewing Beijing as less threatening than before. Conducted ahead of a summit between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping, the poll shows that 57% of Americans now favor engaging with China, marking an increase from previous lows but still below the high of 68% recorded in 2019. This trend reflects a continued partisan divide on how to approach relations with China.

Written by AI on 2026-09-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Story summary

A recent Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey indicates a shift in US public opinion, with 57% of respondents now favoring engagement with China, marking an increase since views hit an all-time low in 2024. This is the highest level seen since the Covid-19 pandemic period in 2020. The poll, conducted on the eve of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, also showed that fewer Americans view Beijing as a threat compared to previous years. However, there remains a significant partisan divide, with 40% still supporting measures to limit China's power. Craig Kafura, the Council’s public opinion director, noted that if Americans were truly hawkish on China, it could negatively impact stability.

Written for “US Public Opinion on China” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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📰 US Public Opinion on China

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sentences that state something as happening or true

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14%

1 of 7 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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62/100

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Who wrote this

Mark Magnier

14 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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🔮 China touts multilateralism and growing soft power even as Beijing gives greater weight to its relationship with Washington Han Zheng, China’s vice-president, called on “major countries” to respect the sovereignty and security of Middle Eastern nations and bring about a two-state solution for the “Palestinian question” on Saturday at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in an implicit dig at the US and Israel. “Many months ago, Chinese officials said that Xi wouldn’t go to the UN unless it was to mark a major anniversary,” said Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

2026-09-26 · assertive framing · Why Xi Jinping skipped the UN after his Trump summit

🔮 “If Americans were really hawkish on China, I think that would bode poorly for stability.”

2026-09-21 · assertive framing · Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 14 articles by Mark Magnier →

Narrative

Claims (7 extracted, 1 hedged)

Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China Beijing seen as less of a threat in Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey, although a partisan divide exists On the eve of this week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Americans feel better about China, according to a poll released on Monday. uncertain

Americans → find → Monday

They see Beijing as less of a threat, are less supportive of Taiwan and are more likely to favour engagement over containment than last year or in 2024, when views hit an all-time low. asserted

views → see → low

As with almost everything in the US these days, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey revealed a partisan divide. asserted

survey → reveal → divide

And while the views expressed were less hawkish than in recent years, 40 per cent of Americans still supported limiting China’s power. asserted

cent → express → power

“There’s not a bipartisan consensus among the public in favour of a competitive containment approach,” said Craig Kafura, the Council’s public opinion and foreign policy director. asserted

Kafura → ’ → approach

“If Americans were really hawkish on China, I think that would bode poorly for stability.” asserted

that → think → stability

The survey found that 57 per cent of Americans favoured engaging with China, an increase from the all-time low in 2024 and the highest result in Council polling since 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. asserted

cent → find → pandemic

Survey finds US public opinion shifting in favour of engagement with China

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Claims (7 extracted, 1 hedged)