Washinton: The global balance of power is undergoing a significant shift, with the United States facing growing challenges to its international standing while China continues to strengthen its economic and diplomatic influence. A recent international survey suggests that global confidence in the US has declined under President Donald Trump’s leadership, while perceptions of China and President Xi Jinping have improved across many countries.
Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, the United States has been regarded as the world’s dominant superpower. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it emerged as the sole global power, expanding its military presence across the world through hundreds of overseas bases and troop deployments. Today, the US maintains military facilities in around 80 countries, with forces stationed or deployed in nearly 160 nations, underscoring its extensive global security footprint.
China, meanwhile, has transformed itself over the past four decades from one of the world’s poorest countries into the second-largest economy. Economic reforms launched in 1978, coupled with export-led manufacturing, technological innovation, large-scale infrastructure development and investment in sectors such as artificial intelligence, 5G and advanced manufacturing, have positioned Beijing as a major global economic and strategic power. Through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, China has also expanded its influence across Asia, Africa and Europe by financing infrastructure and development projects.
A recent Pew Research Center survey conducted across 36 countries indicates a notable change in global perceptions. Respondents in a majority of the surveyed nations expressed a more favourable view of China than the United States, marking a significant departure from trends seen over the past two decades. The survey also found that many participants placed greater confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping than in US President Donald Trump when it came to handling international affairs.
The findings suggest that China’s image as a stable economic partner and infrastructure investor has gained traction, particularly in developing countries where Chinese-backed projects have expanded rapidly. In contrast, concerns over the US approach to foreign policy have affected perceptions of American leadership.
Several factors have contributed to this shift, including strained relations between Washington and its traditional allies, cuts to foreign assistance programmes, prolonged trade disputes and a more confrontational stance towards international organisations. Trump’s rhetoric on immigration, NATO, the European Union and other global institutions has also attracted criticism in many parts of the world.
Recent US policies on issues involving Iran, Israel, the broader Middle East, Venezuela and Ukraine have further shaped international perceptions, with many observers arguing that these decisions have diminished confidence in Washington’s global leadership.
As geopolitical competition between the United States and China intensifies, the survey highlights an evolving international landscape in which economic partnerships, diplomatic engagement and strategic investments are increasingly influencing how nations view the world’s leading powers.
