Chinese Views on US-China Relations: Continuity and Change across Two US Elections

Abstract

This article examines how Chinese public opinion toward the USA and US-China relations evolved across two US presidential transitions, drawing on original pre- and post-election surveys conducted in 2020 and 2024. We find that perceptions of US global leadership and domestic governance were highly responsive to leadership change, with Biden's election associated with a marked rebound in confidence, even as views of US global influence grew more polarized. In contrast, attitudes toward bilateral relations remained relatively stable. Respondents consistently acknowledged America's economic influence while recognizing enduring tensions. At the individual level, younger and more educated respondents expressed more negative views of the relationship but greater confidence in China's economic trajectory, while those with personal ties to the USA reported more favorable attitudes and stronger endorsement of US values. Beyond these findings, the article advances a theoretical argument that public opinion matters in authoritarian states by sustaining governing legitimacy and, in turn, contributing to regime resilience.