China’s ranking in the US News 2026 Best Countries rankings report, compiled by US News & World Report in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, hovered between 16th in 2024 and 20th in 2017. The ranking for 2026 is 42nd. This sudden plunge is incomprehensible.  

China’s highest ranking, 17th, is in Economic Development. Its lowest ranking, 94th, is in Natural Environment. This is extremely strange, because China has done so much in preserving and restoring the natural environment, to the extent that its efforts and the results have been widely recognized. For example, an article in Nature.com, published in November, said that “China has become a global leader in forest restoration, through massive investment and various large-scale programs since 2000. We find substantial biodiversity benefits linked to the expansion of forest extent and the improvement in forest structure, with 73.6 percent of avian species experiencing habitat expansion.” 

I had thought China, as the world’s leader in many aspects of infrastructure development, must rank very high in infrastructure. To my surprise, in this aspect, China ranked 51st, much lower than the United States at 39th. In a recent article of mine in this column (May 6), I cited the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers’ report card on US infrastructure, which says notwithstanding recent efforts under then-US president Joe Biden’s administration, the grade improved only slightly from C- to C. China has succeeded in bringing electricity and water supply to the remotest parts of the country and has enabled vast numbers of its rural population to gain access to e-commerce both as consumers and as producers. China boasts having the world’s top bridges and high-speed rail network. Anyone who has visited China’s cities would be unable to believe that its score in public transit is 50.8, slightly lower than the US’ 51.5.  

It is very strange that US News & World Report apparently has no access to the latest data. China’s latest official life expectancy at birth is 79.25 years. The report puts it at 74.8. In China, over 95 percent of the population benefit from three forms of basic health insurance — including the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance, the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance, and the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. The report puts the score for universal health insurance at 85.7, lower than the US’ 91.8. It is not comprehensible how the US can score higher in universal health insurance than China. Professor Winnie Yip, at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, recently published a paper in The BMJ stating that China’s public health insurance covers over 96 percent of patients, while annual health spending rose 12 percent per capita on average in 2009-23, far outpacing average annual GDP growth of 9 percent. 

 I am particularly perplexed why China could rank as high as 16th in 2024 and 15th in 2020, and has done so much to emphasize the quality of growth rather than the quantity of growth, and while China’s soft power has risen noticeably in recent years

I am particularly perplexed why China could rank as high as 16th in 2024 and 15th in 2020, and has done so much to emphasize the quality of growth rather than the quantity of growth, and while China’s soft power has risen noticeably in recent years — apparently because China has focused on people’s well-being and sharing prosperity with the Global South through efforts such as the Belt and Road Initiative — its global ranking has plummeted to 42nd in 2026, below countries such as Hungary, Latvia, Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.  

I am not particular about rankings, but I am concerned about the wrong impressions that this may generate. Biased impressions could jeopardize international cooperation. As a researcher on public policy, I recognize the importance of recognizing human weaknesses. Because of human weakness, propaganda does work. Exactly because propaganda works, politicians habitually use smear tactics. With the advance of artificial intelligence, AI-generated materials to badmouth opponents and rivals are in vogue. This is one reason I have lost trust in the ballot box. People’s perceptions can change significantly in response to propaganda, which erodes trust and corrupts governance. One key basis of democracy is “fair play”. But “air play” can never be genuinely fair play if everybody can make up stories to smear rivals and to gain political advantage. That would only spiral into a collapse of governance.

I am particularly incensed by stories that are entirely made up to accuse China of “forced labor” in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Huawei using so-called “backdoors”, leading to sanctions by the US and its associates. In a way, these campaigns against China did hurt in the short run. But China being what it is, the fortitude and determination of its countrymen finally bring sweet fruits. The Xizang autonomous region and Xinjiang are among the fastest growing regions of China today. In 2025, Xizang grew at a whopping 7 percent while Xinjiang grew at 5.5 percent, faster than the national average of 5 percent. As for Huawei, at one time it was in “survival mode”. But today it is very profitable and has had multiple breakthroughs, including in AI chips. It is not clear what the US has gained. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was aggrieved at losing market share from 95 percent to virtually zero in China. The winner is Huawei.

It is possible that China’s drop in the Best Country ranking is a result of political maneuvering. This will not help mutually beneficial cooperation. The recent visit by US President Donald Trump to China and his invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit the US are a good beginning for bilateral relationships. Pray the two countries will work together for a sustainable, peaceful future.

The author is an honorary research fellow at the Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Institute, Lingnan University, and an adjunct professor at the Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures, the Education University of Hong Kong.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.