China's improving global image reflects its appeal and openness

Beijing (ANTARA) - A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that China now receives more positive views than the United States in most of the 36 countries surveyed. In many countries, positive perceptions of China have even reached their highest level since records began.

The finding adds to a growing body of international survey results pointing to a similar conclusion: that a China committed to peaceful development, shared prosperity, innovation and openness is steadily earning trust and positive views across the world.

The details of the findings paint a very clear picture. Among the 20 economies with comparable data, most of them high-income countries, the median percentage of respondents expressing positive views of China reached 46 per cent, compared with 36 per cent for the United States.

Meanwhile, in many middle-income countries, respondents also tended to see China as a reliable partner and a contributor to global peace and stability.

These findings are not isolated cases. Earlier this year, Gallup reported that global approval of China’s leadership had surpassed that of the United States by the widest margin in nearly two decades.

Similar conclusions have emerged from surveys by the ASEAN think tank, Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, and a number of other international institutions.

These figures present only part of the reality. Behind the changing numbers lies a broader recognition of China’s contribution to the world.

China has become an increasingly important source of global stability and growth. By expanding high-level openness, China continues to share development opportunities with the whole world. More importantly, China is increasingly treating innovation as a global public good rather than the privilege of a select few.

The recently concluded World AI Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai illustrated this commitment. Beyond showcasing a number of breakthroughs in frontier technology, China also proposed the establishment of a World AI Cooperation Organisation to help developing countries bridge the digital divide.

As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy, China continues to advocate that technological progress should benefit all parties rather than deepening inequality.

China’s appeal is also firmly rooted in a philosophy of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China has helped expand connectivity and development around the world. From the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway to the Chancay Port in Peru, major infrastructure projects have created new opportunities for growth.

Meanwhile, development initiatives such as Juncao technology, Luban Workshops and medical assistance programmes have delivered tangible benefits to local communities. The rise in positive views of China is driven not by political slogans but by real development and shared prosperity.

China’s strengthened international standing also reflects the country’s firm commitment to safeguarding peace and improving global governance.

Through the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, China continues to provide public goods to address common global challenges. Amid an increasingly turbulent world, China has proven itself to be a force for stability rather than a trigger for confrontation.

Cultural appeal has also contributed to the improvement in international views of China.

Chinese cultural products are reaching far wider global audiences than before. The phenomenal international success of the animated film “Ne Zha 2” and the video game “Black Myth: Wukong” has rekindled global interest in Chinese mythology and traditional culture.

Following the inclusion of the Spring Festival on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, celebrations of the Lunar New Year are becoming increasingly global.

With the largest number of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage elements in the world, China continues to present an ancient civilisation through a modern, open and confident perspective. More and more young people are coming to know China as a creative, diverse and friendly country.

Ultimately, the rise in positive global sentiment towards China is a natural response to a country that pursues development through openness, advances cooperation on the principle of mutual benefit, promotes peace through dialogue, and enriches the world through cultural exchange.

China has long believed that when the world prospers, China prospers too, and when China prospers, the world reaps the benefits. As more countries experience China’s development first-hand, this conviction is gaining ever wider recognition among people around the world.