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US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Latest US political divide emerges: the age gap over whether China is cause for concern

While the issue is less polarising than many others, a survey has found a ‘marked’ difference between different generations

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Concerns about China "climb steeply with age". Photo: Shutterstock
Carol Yangin Beijing
A generational gap over China is emerging in the United States, with younger Americans significantly less likely to see Beijing as a cause for concern, according to a new survey.

“Across almost every potential concern tested regarding Beijing, American unease climbs steeply with age,” the 2026 Reagan Institute Summer Survey report said.

It also found that despite the deep political divisions within the US over foreign and domestic policy, there was less sign of a bipartisan split over China compared with any other specific foreign policy issue.

“There is bipartisan consensus across most concerns regarding China, from its role in the fentanyl crisis to its human rights abuses. But domestic-facing worries top the list of concerns about China,” the report said.

Both countries have agreed to try to stabilise their relationship following US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing in May, but the world’s two largest economies remain locked in competition across a range of issues, from security and ideology to AI and technology.

The survey questioned 1,555 respondents about 11 China-specific issues, and concluded that “younger Americans are markedly less worried than their older counterparts”.

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