THE Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reports that 40 percent of Filipinos hold a favorable view of China. This figure marks an increase from the 34 percent recorded in the 2024 survey. The Pew Research Center is a well-established, nonpartisan organization that has carried out opinion research for more than two decades. Its work is widely regarded as rigorous and independent of political advocacy. Its latest Philippine survey involved face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults and forms part of a broader international study covering dozens of countries.
Despite the intensity of anti-China rhetoric currently circulating in the Philippines, a substantial portion of the public has formed an opinion that runs counter to the dominant narrative. Key public figures, such as Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., Philippine Coast Guard Commo. Jay Tarriela, and former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio have consistently highlighted tensions in the disputed maritime area. Incidents at sea have received extensive coverage and have been presented as evidence of Chinese aggression. The survey results, however, show that these efforts have not produced wide acceptance of a purely negative assessment of China.
The favorable responses can be linked to the presence of alternative accounts that have entered public discussion. These counter narratives offer different frames for understanding China and appear to reach audiences that the official anti-China rhetoric do not fully convert. The 40-percent figure may not be a majority, but it represents a substantial portion of the population when pitted against the volume and consistency of the anti-China campaign.
Those who express a favorable view are not limited to the single issue of territorial dispute in the South China Sea. For this group, the maritime issue does not function as an absolute or zero-sum consideration. They also weigh economic relationships and wider geopolitical factors when forming their overall assessment. The data therefore points to more varied views rather than a simple rejection or endorsement of one policy line.
The release of the Pew findings is likely to intensify existing anti-China efforts. Organizations and individuals who have pushed the current rhetoric may increase the frequency and range of their activities in response to evidence that a sizable minority remains unconvinced.
Nevertheless, the continued presence of the 40 percent suggest that counter narratives retain influence. This helps explain the methods employed by those who seek to limit the alternative viewpoints. These methods include the use of derogatory labels and personal attacks directed at individuals who advance differing opinions. They also include legal actions, such as the raid on the Philippine Sanjia-Steel Corp. in Misamis Oriental, conducted purportedly on grounds of regulatory violations, and the arrest of persons described as Chinese spies. To date, these supposed legal actions have not produced clear or conclusive outcomes. The cases remain unresolved and have not delivered the decisive results that their initiators may have anticipated.
Taken together, the survey results and the surrounding public debate illustrate the limits of a single narrative in shaping collective opinion. A notable segment of Filipinos continues to evaluate China through multiple lenses that go beyond maritime confrontations. The persistence of this segment indicates that efforts to control the discussion have not succeeded in closing off other lines of reasoning.
Rafael P. Tuvera is a lawyer who taught law and political science. He analyzes geopolitics and diplomatic strategy with an emphasis on productive approaches with legal and historical context.
