Survey finds cost of living, foreign policy top concerns for Chinese Americans

When asked about the most important problems facing the country today, Chinese Americans’ top five issues are the cost of living and inflation, war and U.S. foreign policy (51%), jobs and the economy (32%), health care (32%) and immigration (28%), according to the 2026 AAPI Policy Priorities Survey.

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) cited the survey in an email arguing that the administration’s policies are failing to address the issues Chinese Americans say matter most and are creating additional risks for their communities.

The survey’s findings show economic concerns at the top of the list, with more than half of Chinese respondents identifying the cost of living and inflation as a major problem. War and U.S. foreign policy ranked second, followed by jobs and the economy and health care. 

CAPAC pointed to the findings as a starting point to challenge President Donald Trump’s record and campaign promises.

Trump pledged during his campaign, “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One.”

CAPAC said tariffs have instead raised costs for families and businesses. It cited the price of a 40-pound bag of rice in New York City’s Chinatown, which it said rose from $25 to $61 in May 2025.

The survey itself showed that inflation and the cost of living are the most frequently cited concerns among Chinese respondents, at 56%.

On specific immigration policies, Chinese respondents expressed divided views. Forty-four percent opposed deporting all immigrants living in the country illegally, while 34% favored it. Twenty-one percent neither favored nor opposed the policy. 

CAPAC also raised concerns about Trump’s immigration enforcement and policies affecting Chinese students, workers and immigrants. It cites Trump’s campaign promise that “ICE is going after the worst of the worst.”

CAPAC further criticized rhetoric Trump used during his first term to describe COVID-19, including “Kung Flu” and “China Virus,” and cited other statements it said contributed to anti-Asian sentiment.