A survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center revealed 45 per cent of Chinese consider US power and influence to be a "major threat" - more than economic instability (35 per cent), climate change (34 per cent) and the Islamic State (15 per cent).
However, half of the 3,154 respondents in the survey had a "favourable opinion" of the US - including 60 percent of those aged between 18 and 34.
The vast majority of Chinese (75 per cent) believe their own country plays "a more important role in world affairs" than a decade ago, compared with only 21 per cent of Americans, 23 per cent of Europeans and 68 per cent of Indians.
However, this confidence in China's international stature contrasts with a growing sense of unease among many, the survey showed, with about three-quarters of respondents saying their "way of life needs to be protected against foreign influence" - up from 64 percent in 2002.
Growing inequality is also a concern, with 37 percent describing the gap between rich and poor as a "very big problem".
Other worries include: food safety (74 per cent), the country's choking air pollution (70 per cent) and rising prices (74 per cent), as many Chinese struggle to get a foothold in the real estate market.