According to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, half of Americans believe that China represents the greatest threat to the United States. The survey revealed a notable partisan disparity, with conservative Republicans shifting their focus away from Russia, which they no longer view as the primary danger.
Among conservative Republicans, 74% identified China as the most significant threat, while 47% of moderate Republicans shared the same view. On the Democratic side, approximately 40% expressed concern about China's threat.
Despite Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, only 8% of conservative Republicans and 14% of moderate Republicans considered Russia the top threat. In contrast, 27% of liberal Democrats and 23% of moderate Democrats saw Russia as the most significant danger.
The survey indicated that 17% of respondents mentioned Russia as a threat, while the third-most named threat was "no one," followed by North Korea and the United States itself, both tying at 2% of responses. Nearly a quarter of participants did not provide an answer.
This marks the first time China has been perceived as the top threat in American public opinion, signaling a growing apprehension towards the country. The rise in concern coincides with China's increasing assertiveness in claiming territorial rights in surrounding international waters and its intentions to exert greater control over Taiwan.
Different demographic groups displayed varied perceptions of China's threat level. Older respondents and men were more likely to consider China the top threat compared to younger respondents and women. The age and gender differences in perceptions of Russia were less significant.
One reason for the shift in opinion may be attributed to more respondents viewing China as posing a greater threat to the American economy than Russia does.
Another possible explanation, especially among the most conservative Republicans, is a change in attitudes towards Russia influenced by former President Donald Trump's close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump's foreign policy approach, which questioned the financial commitments of NATO allies and downplayed Russia's threat, softened opinions towards Russia among his supporters.
Moreover, after years of political polarization, Putin's prominent American political opponents became targets for far-right conservatives, resulting in a considerable overlap between the "enemies list" of conservatives and Putin's adversaries.
As the presidential primary campaign unfolds, conservative Republicans are raising questions about the financial cost of the U.S. commitment to Ukraine, despite Russia's weaknesses being exposed and overmatched without causing American casualties.
The Pew survey, conducted in late May and early June, also asked about the most important U.S. ally. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) did not provide an answer, but the United Kingdom garnered the highest percentage of responses at 22%, with all other allies named by single-digit percentages of participants.