A poll conducted by Gallup found that China has surpassed the United States in global approval ratings in 2025, with a median of 36 percent approving of China's leadership, compared with 31 percent approval for the leadership in the United States.
Gallup's report, published Friday, said China's five-percentage-point advantage over the United States is the widest in China's favor in nearly 20 years.
The recent shift reflects a decline in U.S. ratings alongside an increase for China. Median approval of U.S. leadership fell from 39 percent in 2024 to 31 percent in 2025, returning to earlier lows, while China's approval rose from 32 percent to 36 percent, according to the report.
The latest results are based on Gallup surveys conducted in 2025 in more than 130 countries, with around 1,000 respondents in each country. They do not account for recent U.S. foreign policy moves since the beginning of 2026, including its attack on Iran and its withdrawal from 66 international organizations.
Approval of U.S. leadership has declined across many U.S. allied nations, including many NATO partners, and sunk the most in Germany, dipping 39 percentage points.
Einar Tangen, a senior fellow at the Center for International Government Innovation, believes the shift in global public opinion shows that China is on the right track with its approach to global governance and cooperation.
"There are two very different ideas: a zero-sum game where hegemony, as the rule of the United States, is on top of everything, versus China, which believes its Belt and Road Initiative, and that in order to have a common future for mankind, you have to share development, you have to encourage it elsewhere. This is also the key to peace," Tangen told China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Sunday.
"It's emblematic of the four initiatives that China has put out about development, security, civilization and global governance. So this is why when you take a positive view of the world, you say what can be done and how we can all work together," he said.
China surpasses US in global survey on leadership approval
Iran has rejected a U.S.-proposed 15-point peace plan, calling instead for a permanent end to the conflict, the official news agency IRNA reported on Monday.
Iran delivered its response via Pakistan in a 10-point document, citing past experiences as the reason it would not accept a ceasefire.
The response outlines Iran's demands, including ending regional conflicts, establishing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstructing war-affected areas, and lifting international sanctions.
IRNA claimed the text was presented following recent developments in Iran's western and central regions and the unsuccessful outcome of a U.S. helicopter operation, with U.S. President Donald Trump extending a previously set deadline again and adjusting earlier threats.
In a press conference on Monday, Trump called Iran's 10-point response a "significant step" but said it was "not good enough."
Meanwhile, Trump said that the Tuesday deadline he has set for Iran to make a deal is final.
Also on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Iran will present its position based on its national interests, security, and the legitimate demands of the Iranian people.
In late March, U.S. media reported that Washington sent a 15-point plan to Iran through Pakistan to try to end the war. Iran later rejected the plan, calling it "excessive and disconnected from the realities on the battlefield."
The Islamic Republic set several preconditions for peace. These include ending U.S. and Israeli aggression, creating mechanisms to prevent future attacks, compensating for war damage, stopping fighting across all fronts in West Asia, and recognizing Iran's sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Since Feb 28, Israel and the United States have been jointly attacking Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran continues to respond by launching missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East.
Iran rejects U.S. ceasefire offer, issues 10-point plan calling for permanent end to war
