It’s a stark difference from just a few years ago, when Sinophobia and anti-Asian hate crimes in the US spiked during the Covid pandemic. Tensions between the two countries had deepened after a trade battle during US President Donald Trump’s first term, and by 2023, only 14% of Americans had a favorable view of China, according to data released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center.
Now, that figure has nearly doubled to 27% – reflecting a broad shift in sentiment across the American public, especially among Democrats and young people. It mirrors a greater curiosity toward Chinese culture and entertainment on Western social media, evident in recent trends such as “Chinamaxxing.”