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.

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