Confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs is low across most surveyed nations, with the notable exception of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Majorities in three-quarters of the countries surveyed have little or no confidence in Xi, including Australia, Canada and France where majorities say they have no confidence at all.

But, Xi receives relatively high ratings in Kenya and Nigeria where majorities say they have at least some confidence in his actions on the world stage.

Ratings are also more positive than negative in Indonesia and South Africa, but in both countries, a large minority (33% and 22%, respectively) offers no opinion on this question, as do about a quarter of adults in Argentina and Hungary.

How confidence in Xi has changed over time

In 2022, before he entered an unprecedented third term in power, the shares with little or no confidence in Xi little or no confidence in Xi were at record highs in many countries surveyed. In most countries surveyed again this year, views are just as negative. Poles and Britons, however, are even less confident in Xi this year compared with last year (the share who say they have no confidence in him is up 9 and 5 points, respectively).

In most of the countries last surveyed in 2019, ratings of China’s leader have also worsened. In India, the share who has little or no confidence in Xi went up 21 percentage points over the last four years. Double-digit increases also occurred in Mexico (17 points), Brazil (15 points), Argentina (12 points) and Nigeria (10 points).

How confidence in Xi varies by age

In about a third of countries surveyed, adults ages 40 and older have less confidence in Xi than those ages 18 to 39. This gap is greatest in the UK, where just 15% of older adults have at least some confidence in Xi to do the right thing regarding world affairs compared with 33% of younger adults.