Half of Americans polled see China as the biggest threat to the U.S., says Pew Research

Half of Americans polled wide presumption China arsenic the biggest menace facing the U.S., a caller Pew probe halfway survey revealed. 

In an open-ended question, Americans were asked to sanction immoderate state arsenic the top menace to the U.S. — 50% named China.

This was astir 3 times much than the stock who named Russia (17%), said Pew successful its latest survey published connected Thursday. 

While it's hard to comparison responses from twelvemonth to year, Pew noted that "Americans person not ever seen China arsenic the apical menace to the United States."

"When we past asked a question of this benignant successful 2019, adjacent shares of Americans pointed to China and Russia arsenic the top menace facing their country," it said.

The survey reflects Americans' presumption of China person go much antagonistic implicit clip — peculiarly since 2020, added Pew. The canvass covered much than 3,500 adults successful the U.S. from March 20 to 26 2023.

"The stock of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of China has risen from 79% successful 2020 to 83% successful 2023," said Laura Clancy, a probe expert astatine Pew probe center.

"In that time, the halfway had asked Americans astir respective circumstantial issues including the concern betwixt China and Russia, which 62% telephone a precise superior occupation for the U.S.," she told CNBC via email.

U.S.-Chinese relations precocious deed their lowest constituent successful years. Tensions person escalated implicit a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon which flew implicit the United States.

The battle for technological supremacy betwixt the 2 economical superpowers has besides led to punitive measures similar commercialized and concern restrictions successful tech.

Beijing's person ties with Russia since the commencement of the warfare successful Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic China's continued aggression implicit the Taiwan Strait, besides roiled relations betwixt the 2 countries.

"There are a fig of problems, we've asked astir that Americans tin sanction … successful the U.S.-China relationship, including China's policies connected quality rights and its increasing technological power," said Pew's Clancy.

"Generally speaking, radical who spot immoderate of these problems arsenic precise superior are besides much apt to person antagonistic views of China."

Large majorities of those polled besides saw China arsenic an economical and nationalist information threat. 78% said Beijing posed a large of menace to the U.S. system and 73% to security.

In contrast, lone 36% recovered Russia posed a large woody of menace to the system and 66% to security.

The survey findings travel connected the backmost of a flurry of diplomatic engagements betwixt the 2 countries successful caller weeks, aimed astatine soothing ties.

Last week, seasoned U.S. diplomat Henry Kissinger met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a astonishment sojourn to Beijing, according to authorities media. The lukewarm invited that Kissinger got successful Beijing was seen arsenic the latest illustration of China's efforts to spell extracurricular diplomatic channels to power Washington.

The Biden medication has besides sought to restart high-level contacts with China done caller high-profile diplomatic visits.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and peculiar statesmanlike envoy for clime John Kerry person each visited Beijing recently.  

Blinken held a last-minute meeting with Xi that was described arsenic robust but conciliatory. His archetypal question plans for February were postponed aft the alleged Chinese spy balloon incident.

Tense relations betwixt some sides could beryllium eased if determination was greater effort to perceive to the younger procreation of U.S. experts and scholars connected China, noted Chinese governmental expert Zhou Zhixing.

"It is worthy mentioning that these Americans person studied each aspects of Sino-US relations, and they are fluent successful Chinese, which is amended than their predecessors," Zhou wrote connected Chinese messaging app WeChat recently.

"A radical of young strategists successful the United States who truly recognize China are emerging," helium added.

"Our occupation is, first, we don't truly recognize these people; second, we don't person specified a corresponding radical of young people. This spread is terrible!"