U.S. Allies Drift Toward China as Trust in Washington Erodes, Poll Finds

Overview

• Publics in Canada, Germany, France and the U.K. increasingly say it is better to depend on China than the U.S., with majorities or pluralities in those countries judging Washington not dependable in a crisis.
• Allied respondents rate the U.S. poorly on protecting democracy and global stability, while a 36 percent plurality of Americans still call the U.S. mostly a stabilizing force.
• China is viewed as the technology frontrunner by 50–55 percent in the four allied countries, and a plurality there says Beijing is more likely to develop the first superintelligent AI.
• These perceptions are reflected in recent moves: Canada signed a trade deal with Beijing, the U.K. announced high‑value export agreements, and French and German leaders returned from Beijing with Chinese purchase orders.
• The poll shows a sharp partisan split inside the U.S., with Trump 2024 voters far more positive about America’s role; the online survey was conducted Feb. 6–9 by Public First across five countries with about 2,000 respondents per nation.