Latin Americans View China’s Influence More Positively Than U.S.

What changed

Latinobarómetro’s 2026 report found that 65% of respondents across 17 Latin American countries viewed China’s influence positively, compared with 57% for the United States. The survey covered more than 19,000 interviews conducted from May 7 to June 17, and found especially strong support in Peru at 72%, Chile at 70%, Brazil at 64% and Argentina at 61%.

Why it matters

The eight-point gap is a useful sign that Latin America’s view of global power is becoming less one-sided. Respondents are not judging China only as a distant political force; access to relatively low-priced Chinese goods appears to be shaping those views in everyday life.

That does not prove the sentiment will translate into specific trade, investment or foreign-policy decisions. But it suggests China’s influence is being felt through ordinary purchases as well as diplomacy, while the United States no longer holds the clear advantage in regional approval reflected by these figures.