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Abstract
This paper examines the factors that shape public perceptions of foreign policy in the United States, focusing on the perception of China as a critical threat by U.S. government elites between 1990 and 2022. The difference in attitudes towards China and foreign policy between the U.S. political elite and the ordinary public is noteworthy. While elites often see China as a critical threat and adopt an aggressive foreign policy, the public shows varying degrees of concern and has suddenly peaked in 2016 and 2020. To explore this phenomenon, I analyzed the reasons for this situation. I coded and categorized major events in China and the U.S. to determine the reasons for the fluctuations in public attention. The mixed methodologies in this paper combine qualitative coding and quantitative analysis. After inserting the data into the database, testing the hypotheses. The regression coefficient shows that the main factor affecting the American public’s views on foreign policy is the occurrence of security incidents. The findings of this paper contribute to a deeper understanding of the determinants of public opinion in foreign policy and provide insights for policymakers and future research in the field.