A comprehensive national survey has uncovered significant bipartisan support among American citizens for enhanced cooperation between the United States and China, alongside growing apprehension that escalating geopolitical tensions are adversely affecting Chinese American communities.
The groundbreaking research, jointly conducted by the Committee of 100 and the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC), represents one of the most extensive independent social studies in the United States. According to Alex Chew, NORC AmeriSpeak director and head of Amplify AAPI, this third iteration of the State of Chinese Americans research provides unprecedented breadth in understanding public perception regarding issues impacting the Chinese American population.
The data reveals that 59% of Americans advocate for closer governmental collaboration between Washington and Beijing on diplomatic matters and mutually relevant policies. This position transcends political divisions, with 65% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans expressing support for strengthened bilateral cooperation.
The cooperative sentiment extends into scientific and technological domains, where only 23% of respondents supported prohibiting Chinese researchers from working at U.S. institutions. This perspective demonstrated notable partisan variation, with 16% of Democrats and 34% of Republicans endorsing such restrictions.
Sam Collitt, research lead at Committee 100 and co-author of the survey report, emphasized that these findings indicate minimal public support for policies that would strain international relations. The research was conducted amid numerous federal and state initiatives seeking to prosecute, restrict, or ban Chinese researchers from collaborating with American institutions.
The survey aligns with recent studies by Pew Research and the Chicago Council suggesting that negative attitudes toward China among the American public may have reached their zenith. However, researchers caution that it remains uncertain whether this represents a temporary fluctuation or the beginning of a sustained trend toward improved perceptions.
Historical context provided by University of Maryland Professor Madeline Hsu suggests that Americans often overlook China’s historical position as an elite civilization and economic powerhouse prior to 1800, before its decline under Western imperial exploitation. This historical amnesia, according to Hsu, complicates America’s ability to contextualize China’s reemergence as a global power as a restoration rather than an unprecedented development.
The human cost of bilateral tensions was highlighted through examples including the China Initiatives program, which resulted in numerous Chinese American scientists facing false espionage allegations. The tragic case of Northwestern University’s Dr. Jane Wu, who committed suicide after being abruptly accused of wrongdoing and stripped of her position, exemplifies the devastating personal consequences that can result from sweeping geopolitical measures.