Surveying the Experts: The State of U.S.-China Relations Entering 2026

A CSIS survey of 79 U.S. experts reveals mixed assessments of U.S.-China relations entering 2026, with only 26% believing relations are more stable than a year ago despite late 2025 trade agreements between Presidents Trump and Xi. Experts are divided on whether China views the U.S. as a strategic competitor or adversary, with significant uncertainty surrounding the durability of recent diplomatic agreements.