A shift in public sentiment in the United States toward China, particularly among younger people, could open more room for a less confrontational approach to bilateral relations, experts said, while cautioning that US public opinion is still evolving and its ultimate impact on policy remains to be seen.

Recent surveys have documented a growing desire for cooperation and engagement with China among the US public. The 2026 Chicago Council Survey, for instance, showed that US citizens rated China at an average of 39 on a zero-to-100 scale, up from 26 in 2024. A majority of respondents in the survey, which was conducted from July 10 to 21 by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Chicago Council on Global Affairs, advocated "friendly cooperation and engagement".

READ MORE: Public's view of China improving in the US

"There does appear to be a mood shift underway in the US toward China," said Ryan Hass, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC, during an online event on Tuesday. Hass noted that this change appears to cut across party lines and is likely driven by multiple factors.

One potential driver, according to Hass, is the evolving political landscape in Washington. While US policy toward China for much of the past decade was organized around great-power competition, President Donald Trump's emphasis since returning to office is on his personal relationship with President Xi Jinping and on keeping US-China rivalry within manageable bounds, he said.

Yuan Sha, deputy director of the Department for Global Governance and International Organizations Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, attributed the softening of US citizens' sentiment toward China to several key factors. "China's rising national strength, most notably its advances in high technology such as artificial intelligence, has enhanced its international standing. In addition, against a backdrop of frequent wars and conflicts worldwide, China has positioned itself as a defender of peace and development rather than a disruptor, thereby improving its global reputation," she said.

Yuan added that the "flagship effect" of China-US head-of-state diplomacy has helped stabilize relations after a period of decline. "The negative effects of the US tariff war against China have become increasingly visible to ordinary US citizens, leading the public to better understand the reciprocal nature of China-US economic and trade relations."

Generational differences in US public opinion on China are also notable. Research conducted in January by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that 62 percent of US citizens believe that their lives would not worsen if China surpassed the US in terms of national strength. Among those ages 18 to 29, only 27 percent were concerned about this, dramatically lower than the 52 percent among those 65 and older. Further supporting this, a Chicago Council analysis in August indicated that only 34 percent of Gen Z respondents viewed China's rise as a critical threat, compared with 43 percent of millennials, 56 percent of Gen X, and 62 percent of baby boomers.

Hass, the John L. Thornton China Center director, said that this generational divide is driven by how younger US citizens encounter China. Platforms like TikTok, the release of advanced AI models by Chinese companies like DeepSeek, visits to China by US social media influencers, and online exposure to everyday life in China offer younger audiences images and narratives beyond traditional US mainstream media, "softening perceptions and images of China", he said.

ALSO READ: Poll: US public opinion on China improving

Wei Zongyou, a professor at Fudan University's Center for American Studies, said that younger generations are generally and relatively more open-minded, optimistic and less prejudiced. "Their proficiency with social media bypasses traditional US media stereotypes, providing them with a more authentic, multifaceted and comprehensive view of China."

Experts said that this bottom-up shift in public opinion could foster greater space for improved US-China relations.

Hass said that if this moderating trend continues, it could become relevant in the 2028 presidential campaign, with candidates "reading the room" and calibrating their positions accordingly.

Contact the writers at yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn