Pew Research: Mexicans Now View China More Favorably Than the US

Pew Poll Shakes Foundations: Mexicans Favor China Over U.S. for First Time in Two Decades

Queridos readers, the numbers landed like a quiet earthquake on July 27, 2026. Pew Research Center’s short read, drawn from its full July 15 report surveying 36 countries with special focus on 17 middle-income nations, revealed that Mexicans now view China more favorably than the United States. This marks the first time in nearly 20 years of Pew tracking. Even more striking, Mexican respondents rate Xi Jinping higher than Donald Trump. The warmth we once reserved for our northern neighbor has cooled, while pragmatic ties with Beijing grow steadier.

Trade Realities in Nuevo León and Jalisco Drive the Shift

Walk through the factories of Nuevo León and you see why the Pew data resonates so deeply. INEGI figures show automotive exports to China from that state climbed 18 percent last year, while electronics shipments from Jalisco rose 14 percent. Families in these regions no longer rely solely on U.S. supply chains. Remittances from Chiapas still matter, yet many households now weigh Chinese investment in solar and EV components against traditional U.S. assembly jobs. The Pew finding that 75 percent of middle-income respondents believe the U.S. interferes in other nations’ affairs, compared with only 45 percent saying the same about China, lands here with particular force. People feel the difference in daily commerce.

Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico Meets Ebrard’s Balancing Act

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico explicitly courts diversified partners, and Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard has made that strategy concrete. His office points to new semiconductor and battery corridors linking Jalisco plants with Chinese firms. The July 27 Pew release, echoed by Mexico News Daily on July 29, underscores how this approach aligns with public sentiment. Xi’s favorability edge over Trump among Mexican respondents reflects not ideology but the perception that Chinese engagement brings fewer lectures and more factories. Still, Ebrard keeps USMCA commitments front and center as the 2026 review approaches.

USMCA Review and Tariff Shadows Loom Over Bilateral Ties

The 2026 USMCA review now carries extra weight. Trump’s repeated tariff threats against Mexican goods have not gone unnoticed in the SRE’s quiet diplomacy. Officials in Mexico City are threading a careful needle: honoring the trade agreement while expanding room for Chinese capital in strategic sectors. Pew’s cross-national data shows this pattern repeating across middle-income countries, where skepticism of U.S. interference runs high. For Mexico, the stakes are personal—lost automotive jobs in Nuevo León or stalled electronics growth in Jalisco would hit families directly. The SRE’s approach favors steady engagement with both powers rather than dramatic swings.

What the Numbers Mean for Ordinary Mexicans

Beyond elite strategy, the Pew results touch everyday life. In Chiapas, remittances remain vital, yet local leaders note growing interest in Chinese-backed infrastructure that could ease migration pressures. Across the 17 middle-income countries surveyed, the 75-to-45 interference gap tells a consistent story: many see China as less intrusive in domestic affairs. Here at home, that perception strengthens support for Sheinbaum’s balanced trade policy. The first-time reversal in Mexican views of China versus the U.S. is not abstract; it reflects lived experience in the factories and border towns where livelihoods are decided.

Looking Ahead With Measured Hope

As the USMCA clock ticks toward 2026, Mexico’s challenge is clear. We must protect hard-won access to the U.S. market while nurturing the Chinese partnerships already reshaping Nuevo León and Jalisco. The Pew data, released July 27 and amplified by Mexico News Daily two days later, offers no simple verdict. It simply records that Mexican hearts and minds are shifting toward pragmatism. In that shift lies both risk and opportunity. With warmth and clear eyes, we will navigate it together.

Tags: Pew Research, Mexico China relations, US Mexico opinion, Sheinbaum administration, USMCA review, Mexican trade, Xi Jinping Mexico

By Rosa Martinez, Staff Writer