(CNSNews.com) - "What one country anywhere in the world do you consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy today?"
Gallup asked that open-ended question in a World Affairs survey conducted Feb. 1-23, which coincided with a Chinese spy balloon drifting over the United States.
Fifty percent of Americans said China is our greatest enemy; 32 percent named Russia; 7 percent named North Korea; 2 percent said Iran; 1 percent said Afghanistan; and 1 percent said "the United States itself."
Gallup noted that this is the third year in a row that Americans have named China as their country's greatest enemy.
As with most issues, Gallup found partisan differences in the perception of which country is our worst enemy:
Democrats were most likely to cite Russia as the nation’s greatest enemy, with 53 percent doing so.
According to Gallup:
"Democrats’ views of Russia are likely influenced by the Russia-Ukraine war and President Joe Biden’s policies supporting Ukraine -- but Russia has been regarded as the top enemy by Democrats for each of the past five years.
"It’s also notable that since reports of alleged Russian influence on U.S. elections became a focus during the Trump administration, Democrats have been consistently more likely than Republicans to cite Russia as the U.S.’s greatest enemy.
"On the other hand, the vast majority of Republicans, 76%, cite China as the nation’s greatest adversary. China has been the overwhelming choice of Republicans each of the past three years, mentioned by at least 70%.
"Independents are most likely to name China, at 46%, with 32% naming Russia."
Just a few weeks after taking office, President Joe Biden called China "our most serious competitor." “We need not have a conflict but there is going to be extreme competition,” he said.
His administration continues to describe the U.S. relationship with China as one of "strategic competition."