What the Polls Tell Us About U.S.-China Influence Competition in Africa

US President Joe Biden speaks at the leader's session during the US-Africa Leaders Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on December 15, 2022. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP

Gauging China’s popularity around the world is a bit like trying to find your bearings in a hall of mirrors. One survey says one thing, another says another, and in the end, we’re all left scratching our heads, wondering who’s right.

In Washington, folks like to cite a 2023 Pew Research Center study that calculated China’s favorability rating at a dismal 23% compared to the 60% of respondents that had a positive view of the U.S.

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by Eric Olander

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