The 2025 Democracy Perception Index (DPI), which measures global public opinion on the governance of major world powers based on criteria such as economic performance, social welfare, and diplomatic relations, has delivered a verdict the Western establishment will find difficult to digest: China is now viewed more favorably than the United States.
The DPI, which is compiled annually by the Denmark-based, nonprofit Alliance of Democracies Foundation, is based on responses from over 111,000 individuals across 100 countries. It offers empirical validation of what many have observed anecdotally — the East is rising, and the West is in decline. The US has suffered a dramatic drop in global perception, with its net favorability plummeting from 22 percent in 2024 to minus 5 percent in 2025. In stark contrast, China commands a net positive rating of 14 percent, making it the only one among the world’s three dominant powers — the US, China, and Russia — to emerge with a favorable image. Even more tellingly, 79 percent of surveyed countries express a more favorable view of China than the US.
This shift is not a statistical anomaly, nor a passing trend driven by media cycles. It is the culmination of years of missteps by Washington and corresponding gains by Beijing, whose international posture reflects competence, restraint, and vision. The world is watching and no longer persuaded by American rhetoric. The facade of US moral leadership has crumbled, and a more credible, confident, and capable China stands in its place.
The global admiration for China, as recorded in this year’s index, reflects its diplomatic consistency and domestic achievements. Unlike the US, which increasingly exports dysfunction and division, China has cultivated a political model that delivers results. Its governance is defined by pragmatism, long-term planning, and an unshakable focus on national development. While American citizens are trapped in endless debates about rights their government routinely fails to protect, Chinese citizens witness tangible progress in infrastructure, education, technology, and poverty reduction. This is not abstract idealism, but the material outcome of a system that works.
The notion that democracy must be defined solely by Western institutions has lost credibility, and rightly so. The US, once the loudest proponent of liberal democracy, now struggles to meet even the most basic expectations of its people. Its government is mired in polarization, paralyzed by partisanship, and increasingly incapable of responding to the needs of its citizens. From healthcare to housing, inflation to inequality, the American state appears more committed to ideological theatrics than functional governance. Unsurprisingly, confidence in Washington is evaporating at home and abroad.
In contrast, China presents a model of governance that prioritizes national strength, unity, and public welfare over performative politics. Its strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and technological innovation have yielded economic prosperity and political legitimacy. Citizens are not merely told they are free — they see their lives improve. Their faith in the system is not blind but earned.
China builds high-speed railway lines, bridges, universities, and industries; it nurtures a population that is informed, proud, and willing to defend its sovereignty. This is national dignity in practice.
What is most telling is the shifting perception of power among so-called democratic allies. There is growing disillusionment even in regions traditionally aligned with the US. Washington’s foreign policy is increasingly seen as erratic, self-interested, and coercive. Its reliance on military alliances and economic sanctions reveals that the country is more concerned with containment than cooperation. Meanwhile, China engages the world through trade, diplomacy, and infrastructure, offering partnerships rather than ultimatums. Its approach to international relations is grounded in mutual respect, not paternalism.
The US has further alienated itself with its reckless economic nationalism, most recently manifested in its aggressive tariff policies, which, driven by domestic political expediency rather than sound economic logic, has drawn criticism from allies and partners alike. Though not yet reflected in the DPI, the global backlash to these tariffs will likely accelerate the ongoing collapse of America’s international standing. The message is clear: The US is no longer a reliable economic partner, but a volatile actor willing to weaponize trade for political theater. In contrast, China continues to deepen ties through multilateral initiatives, offering stability where the US threatens disruption.
The myth of American freedom, often dragooned into justifying its global interventions, has also lost its persuasive power. The index reveals a growing skepticism about the US government’s commitment to civil liberties. Even its citizens doubt the integrity of their institutions, particularly in areas like freedom of speech and judicial fairness. The reality is grim: Journalists face surveillance, civil society groups are marginalized, and political dissent is increasingly criminalized. The US is no longer the beacon of liberty it claims to be — it is a state in decline, fraying at its constitutional seams.
Despite relentless Western criticism, China exhibits a public confidence in its political system that many so-called democracies can no longer claim. The population reports higher satisfaction in education, public safety, national security, and economic opportunity. Citizens believe their government serves them, not corporate lobbies or party machines. Their understanding of governance is grounded in lived experience, not abstract, unfulfilled promises. While the West clings to a romanticized notion of political participation, China delivers competent, rational, and effective administration.
This is not merely a matter of perception. The world no longer associates US power with moral authority. Its current administration is derided across continents, and is viewed as emblematic of a political system that rewards arrogance, ignorance, and division. In contrast, China’s leadership is seen as disciplined and deliberate, focused on continuity and development rather than spectacle. The contrast could not be sharper: One nation governed by tantrums, the other by strategy.
This global reassessment is not the product of coercion or manipulation, but the rational conclusion of populations evaluating performance. China’s rise in stature is grounded in evidence, credibility, and the integrity of its national purpose. The US, by contrast, is no longer feared, admired, or trusted. In my opinion, it is resented as a once-formidable power that is now reduced to lecturing others while failing at home. This is a clear call for the US to take immediate action and restore its lost respect.
If the DPI teaches us anything, legitimacy is no longer conferred by tradition or rhetoric. It must be earned. China has done so — not by mimicking Western models, but by building its own. And the world, finally, is taking notice.
The author is a solicitor, a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyer, and a China-appointed attesting officer.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
