Most Americans still favor working with China to combat coronavirus despite rise in negative feelings, poll shows


There's little doubt that anti-China sentiment is rising in the United States in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. A new poll from Politico and Morning Consult showed that 31 percent of Americans consider China an "enemy," an 11-point jump since January. Coupled with the 30 percent who consider Beijing an "unfriendly" government, that means more than half of the country harbors negative feelings toward China. But, per the poll, that doesn't translate to a rejection of diplomacy.
Those surveyed still believe the U.S. and China should work together to combat the coronavirus, and it's by a pretty hefty margin. While 30 percent of Americans think the U.S. needs to focus on holding China accountable for alleged wrongdoing in its handling of the pandemic, even if that means cutting ties, 58 percent of Americans believe Washington should be willing to set aside the blame game and work alongside Beijing. Ultimately, it seems Americans — at least for now — are more concerned with combating COVID-19 than they are about punishing a global power.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll was conducted between May 15-18 among 1,994 registered U.S. voters. The margin of error is 2 percentage points. Read more at Politico and Morning Consult.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in Fiji
Under the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies