Over 50% of Australians now view China relationship as more important than US ties | The latest National and International News - upday News
Australians now view their relationship with China as more important than their ties with the United States, a 2026 Lowy Institute poll reveals. The same survey shows confidence in President Donald Trump has hit a record low. | The latest National and International News - upday News
Australians now view their relationship with China as more important than their ties with the United States, a 2026 Lowy Institute poll reveals. The same survey shows confidence in President Donald Trump has hit a record low. More than 50 percent of Australians believe the China relationship holds greater significance than the US relationship, according to the Lowy Institute's survey titled "How Australians feel about the world. " The shift marks a notable change in Australian foreign policy priorities. Global trust plummetsThe trend extends far beyond Australia. A Pew Research Center study that surveyed 42,151 people across 36 countries between February 8 and May 13, 2026, found that 57 percent globally hold an unfavorable view of the United States, while only 37 percent view it favorably. Half of all respondents believe the US is not a reliable partner. Sixty-three percent argue the country does not contribute to global peace and stability, and 66 percent say Washington does not consider other nations' interests when making decisions. Only 23 percent of international respondents trust Trump to act correctly in international affairs. That confidence has declined in 16 out of 24 countries with comparable data from the previous year, with no country showing improvement in perception of the US president. Europe leads rejectionEuropean countries show particularly strong skepticism. In France, the Netherlands, and Germany, unfavorable views exceeded 70 percent. Sweden, a recent NATO member, reported 80 percent viewing the US unfavorably. In Germany, 84 percent of those polled do not believe Trump is capable of making correct choices, with only 16 percent expressing confidence. That figure nearly matches distrust in Russian President Vladimir Putin, who recorded a 15 percent trust rating. Sixty percent of Germans no longer consider the US a reliable partner, compared to 39 percent who do. This contrasts sharply with 2022, when 83 percent viewed the US as reliable. Turkey showed the highest level of distrust at 92 percent, followed by Sweden at 89 percent and Mexico at 88 percent. In seven out of ten European countries, distrust in Trump exceeded 75 percent. Regional variationsAsia shows mixed results. Malaysia recorded 80 percent unfavorable views, Pakistan 81 percent, and Turkey 84 percent. In Japan, a long-standing American ally, opinion split evenly at 50 percent for and against. Africa generally holds positive opinions of the US, as do parts of Latin America. In Colombia, which recently elected a new president explicitly supported by Trump, 60 percent are favorable towards Americans. Brazil shows 47 percent positive views, down from 56 percent in 2025. Only five countries recorded majority trust in Trump: the Philippines at 68 percent, Israel at 66 percent, Nigeria at 65 percent, Kenya at 63 percent, and Ghana at 54 percent. Broader implicationsTrump's trust ratings rank lower than most other surveyed world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Only Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received worse ratings. Only seven surveyed countries hold favorable opinions of the US by majority, with Israel showing the highest positive rating at 81 percent. The lowest ratings come from countries with Muslim majorities, including Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Within the United States itself, 57 percent believe their country contributes to global peace and stability, though this view divides sharply along party lines. Eighty-two percent of Republican-leaning respondents hold this positive view, compared to only 35 percent of Democrat-leaning respondents. Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).