China's soft power on the rise, survey finds

China is increasingly recognized not only as a rising economic power, but also as a partner capable of delivering tangible benefits and contributing to a stable future for the world, according to global surveys and experts.

From British consultancy Brand Finance and United States-based think tank Pew Research Center to the Singaporean research school ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, a consistent upward trend has emerged, as favorability ratings for China and trust in the nation have steadily climbed in recent years.

The Global Soft Power Index 2026 report, released by Brand Finance in January, shows that China is the only nation brand in the top 10 that saw its soft power score increase this year. The report noted that by combining domestic development with structured international engagement, China is increasingly perceived as predictable, reliable and capable of delivering tangible benefits.

Experts said that China's increasing credibility is not the result of short-term geopolitical fluctuations, but an inevitable trend stemming from long-term capacity building.

They attribute this achievement to the enhancement of China's manufacturing capabilities, its provision of delivering global public goods through measures such as the Belt and Road Initiative, and its long-standing support for multilatera-lism and the United Nations-centered international system.

Brand Finance's Global 500 rankings for 2026 show that Chinese brands have together reached an unprecedented value, representing 15.1 percent of the overall brand value of the rankings.

According to the Global Soft Power Index report, China leads the world not only in terms of ease of doing business and future growth potential, but also in terms of technology and innovation as well as advanced science.

Anna Malindog-Uy, vice-president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank, said that China's "strong showing" in Brand Finance's Global 500 matters because "it signals sustained global competitiveness and brand equity".

"This means more Chinese firms have become globally recognized and embedded, reinforcing the idea that China is a dependable economic actor," she added.

Christine Susanna Tjhin, director of strategic communication and research at Gentala Institute in Indonesia, said, "The determinants for reliability rest upon the mutual benefits created, as Chinese brands with high quality and sensible pricing reach global consumers, and as Chinese manufacturing upgrades with high tech benefit local partners through investments or involving local partners in wider regional supply chains."

Official data underscores this economic engagement. In 2024, China's overseas enterprises generated $3.6 trillion in sales revenue, paid $82.1 billion in taxes to their host countries, and employed a total of 5.02 million people by the end of that year, with 65.8 percent being local hires.

Beyond pure economics, the Global Soft Power Index 2026 report also noted that investments under the Belt and Road framework underpinned China's soft power gains.

Einar Tangen, senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a Canada-based think tank, said the perception of reliability stems from demonstrable, decade-long commitments that translated into concrete benefits for partner nations.

The China Belt and Road Initiative Investment Report 2025, which was copublished in January by two institutes in China and Australia, shows a record BRI engagement of Chinese enterprises last year, with the value of construction contracts reaching $128.4 billion and that of investments reaching about $85.2 billion.

The report also noted that in 2026, a further expansion of BRI-related investments and construction contracts seems possible despite global economic headwinds driven by US-led trade impositions.

Malindog-Uy, the vice-president of the Manila-based think tank, noted that developing countries increasingly trust Chinese enterprises because these companies have built a reputation for execution certainty, delivering large projects fast, at scale and with fewer coordination breakdowns.

Over time, the BRI has evolved into an "operating system" with standardized playbooks, established supply chains, and local support ecosystems and partnerships, making outcomes more predictable, she said.

Tangen, from the Canadian think tank, emphasized that the trust generated by the BRI is amplified by China's continuing commitment to the existing structure of global governance, including its support for the UN, engagement with the World Trade Organization and contributions to peacekeeping operations.

"In a polarized and ideologically divided world, this consistent focus on development, institutional cooperation and tangible outcomes is forging a deep and durable foundation of trust," he said.