The Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) released a report on Friday for the 2018 National Image Global Survey, which shows that China's national image is steadily improving, with its performance in domestic and foreign affairs better appreciated and its domestic governance more recognized.

Meanwhile, China's participation in global governance in science and technology, economy and culture is more positively appreciated overseas.

The ACCWS – the former Center for International Communication Studies of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, and London-based Kantar Company, jointly conducted the sixth global survey of China's national image by using online questionnaires and international standards for online polls.

From May to July of 2018, the survey interviewed nationals of 22 countries, including Japan, South Korea, India, the UK, France, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa.

To ensure an accurate representation of the countries involved, a total of 11,000 respondents selected from the global panel of Kantar were included in this survey, 500 from each country. The respondents were made up of local residents aged between 18 and 65.

Economic and sci-tech development recognized

"In 2012, people generally lacked understanding of China's politics, and China's image was still relatively vague in general. In 2018, overseas respondents' awareness of the nation's development road model has improved, and they have seen the positive effects of China's development road and model," Cheng Manli, president of the National Institute of Strategic Communication at Peking University said.

China has attained enormous success since 1949, particularly since adopting reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, which has contributed to global development.

According to the survey, people overseas have higher expectations concerning China's participation in all aspects of global governance. It is widely agreed that China is becoming the biggest trading partner of more and more countries, and that its economy will maintain high-speed growth.

The country's proposal of building a community with a shared future for humanity is believed to have a positive influence on individuals, countries and mankind as a whole. The positive influence of the Belt and Road Initiative on regional and global economies is attracting more attention.

China's technological innovation capacity is becoming better recognized, with an improved image attached to Chinese products and Internet enterprises. Lenovo, Huawei and Alibaba remain the top three best known Chinese brands among overseas respondents, while Xiaomi and Hisense made it to the top ­five.

Compared with the previous survey, China's technological innovation capacity won higher evaluation both in China and overseas, and among all age groups overseas, according to the latest report. High-speed rail was China's best known technological achievement, followed by the supercomputer and manned space flight.

Yu Yunquan, director of the 2018 China National Image Global Survey, said at the Friday meeting that "nearly half of the respondents believe that China will become the world's largest economy, lead a new round of globalization and make more contributions to global governance." 

'A major oriental country with a rich history and full of charm'

The results show that a major oriental country with a rich history and full of charm was the most impressive image of China in the eyes of overseas respondents. Sixty-two percent of the respondents in developing countries agreed with this image, more than in developed countries.

Overseas respondents had a positive impression of Chinese people, on the whole. Hardworking and collectivist were the most recognized characteristics of the Chinese people.

It was widely believed that Chinese cuisine, traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts best represent Chinese culture. Fifty-five percent of the overseas respondents chose Chinese cuisine, 50 percent picked traditional Chinese medicine, and 46 percent marked off martial arts.

The report shows that more people in developed countries thought cuisine is the best representative of Chinese culture, while more people in developing countries chose traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts.

Nearly 80 percent of the overseas respondents have sampled Chinese food and praise it. Thirty-one percent of the overseas respondents have experienced traditional Chinese medicine. Of those who have had such experience, 81 percent made positive comments, much higher than in the previous survey.

(Lyu Lingyu contributed to the coverage.)