China's global leadership wins higher approval rating than U.S.

A new Gallup report shows global approval of China's leadership ranked higher than the U.S. in 2018, with an approval rate of 34 percent, ticking up to its highest point in almost a decade, the U.S. public opinion polls conductor said Thursday.

The report, which measures how the public in 133 countries view the global leadership of the U.S., China, Germany, and Russia, shows the approval rating of China reached 34 percent, the highest score since 2009, whereas the median approval rating of U.S. leadership dropped to 31 percent.

The global approval of U.S. leadership sits at its lowest level for any of the past three U.S. administrations. 

Russia reached 30 percent approval, for the first time approaching equal footing with the U.S.

This low rating may have implications for the U.S.' soft power. It suggests that the unpredictability of the Trump administration and its lack of commitment to international obligations are sowing doubts abroad.