During the first year of Trump’s second term, many of his actions — from his private statements to his public policies — have served to alienate the United States from its allies. Now polling shows that America’s top allies, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, overwhelmingly view China as a more dependable partner than the U.S. under Trump.
“This is wild,” declared Cambridge economist Jostein Hauge of the results. “The global balance of power is clearly tilting away from the US and toward China.”
In the poll, respondents were asked whether they view China or Trump-led America as more dependable, and the response was clear: the world no longer feels it can rely on the U.S.
Perhaps the most telling numbers came out of Canada, where a whopping 57 percent of Canadians say China is more dependable, while just 23 percent say the U.S. Long America’s biggest trade partner and closest ally, in a follow-up question, 48 percent of Canadians also say their country can and should build closer ties to China.
And as Politico points out, respondents agree that this shift “is driven by Trump’s disruption, not by a newfound stability in China.”
Again, Canada is a prime example. Since retaking office, Trump has leveled tariffs at America’s northern neighbor, complained about previously uncontroversial border infrastructure projects, and threatened to make Canada “the fifty-first state.” As a result, Canadians have boycotted American products while Ottawa has sought to strengthen previously strained ties with China.
For many, another major strike against the U.S. has been not only its overt antagonism toward the rest of the world, but its withdrawal of aid and from collaborative programs like the World Health Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council. China, on the other hand, has begun stepping in to fill the void left by American actions.
Hauge pointed out an example of this: China’s donation of thousands of solar power systems to Cuba in response to the severe power outages caused by the oil embargo imposed on the island by the U.S.
“This is what real commitment to international cooperation, solidarity, and development looks like,” wrote Hauge over a video of the solar installations.
According to the poll, many don’t think the situation is due to a temporary estrangement from the U.S., but is part of a long-term trend. About half of respondents from the four countries surveyed said they believe “China is rapidly becoming a more consequential superpower.”