Global Times Editorial: China's "Inherent Stability" Wins Global Trust
"The 21st century is more likely to belong to Beijing rather than Washington." According to a joint survey published on the 15th by American news website Politico and British polling firm Public First, the public in the United States' four staunchest allies—Canada, the UK, France, and Germany—believe China is more reliable than the U.S., with younger people holding more positive views. Meanwhile, several American media outlets have recently discussed the phenomenon of "Chinamaxxing" (extreme Chineseization), even suggesting this trend could bring "deeper transformations in the American workplace." These pieces of information together add another piece to the puzzle of changing Western perceptions.
This cross-border survey conducted in the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, and Germany had a total sample size of 10,289 people, which is considered to have a high level of accuracy in the industry. In particular, Canada, the UK, France, and Germany are "veterans" of the "Western club," and their changing public opinion can be seen as a reflection of the overall shift in Western attitudes toward China. The reasons behind this are not hard to see: during times of turbulence, markets seek security, capital values stable expectations, and countries rely on trustworthy partners. There is no doubt that China provides the most scarce resource in today's world—that is, certainty.
At the end of the day, trust is not built by slogans but through continuity, stability, and the ability to deliver. Whoever stands firm in stormy seas becomes the "ballast stone" in others' eyes. China has clear development goals, stable policy directions, coherent strategic arrangements, and predictable international cooperation, demonstrating the composure and weight that a major power should have.
In fact, Politico's survey results are not an isolated case; multiple large-scale surveys in the West have reached similar conclusions recently. For example, in July 2025, Pew released a survey of over 30,000 respondents from 25 countries, showing that global public opinion toward China reached a six-year high. In January of this year, a joint survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and Oxford University explicitly stated, "the world seems to be becoming more open to accepting China."
China's long-term economic growth is the most direct and solid practical basis for the world's trust in China. On March 16, the National Bureau of Statistics of China released economic data for the first two months of the year, drawing widespread attention. Reuters reported that industrial output grew by 6.3% compared to the same period last year, exceeding Reuters' previous forecast of 5% and recording the fastest growth since September last year, "China's growth foundation this year is more solid than previously expected." At a time when many economies around the world are either trapped in inflationary stickiness, struggling with slow growth, or dealing with the aftermath of deindustrialization, China maintains its basic stability while pushing for structural upgrades, which is itself a rare capability.
The more critical the stage of development a major country reaches, the more it tests its steering capacity, institutional resilience, and social mobilization ability. An article in the journal Foreign Affairs used the subtitle "How Beijing Turns Predictability into Power." What the outside world sees today is not just a China that maintains stable growth, but also a China that connects long-term planning with practical implementation, unifies development vitality with social order, and links technological innovation with industrial upgrading. The world trusts China not only because of its economic data, but also because of its governance capabilities and institutional logic behind it.
Concentrating on doing its own things well is the greatest contribution China can make to the world. Today, global supply chains and value chains are still experiencing fluctuations and adjustments. The international market generally lacks confidence, demand, and direction. In this context, China stabilizing growth is a crucial engine for the world economy. China expanding openness opens up greater space for international cooperation. China developing new productive forces injects new momentum into global industrial upgrading and green transformation. China maintaining social stability provides a reliable production network and market space for the world. China does not export crises, nor does it transfer conflicts or compete for interests by shaking the table. Instead, it contributes more certainty, opportunities, and confidence to the world by walking its own path steadily and handling its own affairs well. This is the practical foundation of China's optimistic view on its economy and the deeper reason why the international community increasingly values and trusts China.
Looking ahead, the more chaotic the world becomes, the more China needs to remain stable and do its own work more solidly. With the official release of the outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the construction of China's modernization has opened a new chapter. It can be anticipated that a China that continuously turns development blueprints into reality, converts institutional advantages into governance efficiency, and transforms domestic stability into international certainty will win even broader global trust.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859879989783564/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.