ROME — Italians now view China more favorably than the United States, according to a new Pew Research Center survey, marking a historic reversal in one of Washington’s closest European allies.
The findings place Italy within a broader global trend: in 25 of the 37 countries surveyed, China now enjoys higher favorability ratings than the U.S. Pew says the shift is driven primarily by deteriorating views of the United States rather than a surge of confidence in Beijing.
Why it matters: Italy has recorded one of the sharpest increases in favorable views of China in recent years.
- The findings underscore a broader erosion of America’s global image, according to Pew.
- The trend could have implications beyond public opinion, as popular support remains an important pillar of the transatlantic relationship.
The big picture: Pew’s latest Global Attitudes Survey finds that the balance of international public opinion has shifted markedly since 2023.
- Across the countries surveyed, China now enjoys higher favorability than the United States in 25 cases. According to Pew, this reversal stems “mostly from deteriorating views of the United States,” rather than from growing endorsement of China’s political or economic model.
- The findings reinforce a trend already identified by a European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) survey published in January, which pointed to changing European perceptions of the U.S., China and an increasingly post-Western international order.
Zoom in: Italy stands out among Western countries. According to Pew:
- 51% of Italians now hold a favorable view of China.
- China’s favorability has climbed from 31% in 2022 to 45% in 2025, reaching 51% this year — a 20-point increase in four years.
- The accompanying Pew data show 31% of Italians now hold a favorable view of the United States.
The generational divide is significant:
- 63% of Italians aged 18-34 express a favorable view of China.
- That falls to 46% among those aged 35-49 and among Italians over 50.
Political affiliation also shapes attitudes:
- Left: 66% favorable toward China.
- Center: 48%.
- Right: 54%.
According to the survey data, Italy is the only country where respondents on the political right express a more favorable view of China than those identifying with the political center.
Between the lines. Pew does not explain why Italy’s shift has been so pronounced, and the survey does not establish the causes behind changing public opinion.
- One factor likely to feature in the domestic debate is the increasingly public confrontation between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump. While the poll does not draw a causal link, months of political tensions between Rome and Washington may have reinforced a broader deterioration in perceptions of the United States.
- The public dispute between Pope Leo XIV and President Trump could also have influenced the domestic debate. Their disagreements over issues including Iran and immigration have received significant attention in Italy.
- The changing political landscape inside Italy could also matter. Opposition parties — particularly the Five Star Movement — have increasingly centered their messaging on opposition to Trump. In Italy, that rhetoric often intersects with longer-standing strands of anti-Americanism, potentially broadening criticism beyond the current U.S. administration and toward the United States more generally.
Sharp power. The findings are also likely to renew debate over the impact of foreign influence campaigns and strategic narratives promoted by China and Russia. The Pew survey does not examine the causes behind the shift in public opinion and does not establish any link between the polling results and specific information operations. Nevertheless, disinformation campaigns and state-backed influence activities remain a persistent concern across Europe and other democracies.
- According to U.S. media reports, President Donald Trump is expected to disclose information related to alleged Chinese efforts to interfere in U.S. elections. In a recent interview with Il Messaggero, U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta also warned that Russia has the capability to interfere in the public debate and electoral processes of many countries.
- These activities fall within what is commonly described as “sharp power”: the use of information, media and influence tools by authoritarian states to shape public discourse, amplify anti-Western narratives and gradually influence public perceptions in democratic societies.
What to watch: The survey is likely to fuel debate in Italy over the resilience of public support for the country’s traditional transatlantic orientation, particularly as Rome seeks to balance its strategic alliance with Washington against an increasingly competitive global relationship with Beijing.
- Whether the latest shift proves durable — or reflects a period of unusually negative perceptions of the United States — will become clearer only in future polling.
The bottom line: The latest Pew survey suggests Italy has become part of a broader realignment in global public opinion. The headline finding is less a story of growing enthusiasm for China than of a weakening image of the United States. For Italy, that shift touches not only foreign policy preferences but also one of the public foundations of the transatlantic relationship.
