Over 40 Percent of Americans See China As 'Greatest Enemy'

China is seen as the number 1 enemy by 41 percent of Americans, according to a new Gallup poll.

Russia and Iran came in second and third with 26 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

The percentage of respondents who view China as their country's main nemesis was down from 50 percent who said the same last year. That survey was carried out amid a Chinese "spy balloon" floating across the U.S. before being shot down at the order of President Joe Biden.

The percentage of respondents who deem Russia to be their country's greatest foe was down 6 percent in the latest poll, while Iran was up by 7 percent. Notably, for the first time, the proportion of Americans saying the U.S. is its own worst enemy exceeded 2 percent, rising from 1 percent last year to 5 percent—one point higher than Kim Jong Un's North Korea.

Broken down by political affiliation, China was most cited as the greatest U.S. adversary by Republicans (67 percent) and independents (40 percent). Democrats, meanwhile, were much more likely name Moscow (48 percent) than Beijing (18 percent).

While China topped the list of perceived enemies, however, it did not receive the most unfavorable ratings. That distinction went to North Korea (87 percent), with Russia and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan close behind (86 and 82 percent, respectively).

The Chinese and Russian embassies in the U.S. did not immediately return a written request for comment.

In terms of favorability, the top-rated countries were Canada and Japan with 83 percent each, Great Britain (82 percent), Germany (79 percent), and France (78 percent).

Chinese neighbor Taiwan (77 percent) came in with the six highest favorability score out of the 21 included on the list. China considers the self-ruled island as a rogue province and has vowed to someday annex it, though the Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing has never ruled there.

The survey hints at how the shifting geopolitical landscape of the past year has shaped public discourse.

President Biden's meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping near San Francisco in November has been credited with lowering the temperature of U.S.-China relations somewhat as the countries continue to spar over issues ranging from surveillance concerns to Taiwan.

Three Middle Eastern states associated with the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war—Israel, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, and Egypt—saw their favorability ratings drop.

Iran's backing of Hamas as well as Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels likely affected its standing on the "enemies" list.

Gallup conducted the poll through telephone interviews with 1,016 randomly selected adult residents from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., between February 1 and 20. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent with a confidence level of 95 percent.