MOSCOW, 16 May 2024. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a survey about China and Russian-Chinese relations.
Friendship without borders
The Russian-Chinese relations have a rich history. Despite ups and downs today the two countries regard each other as strategic partners. Over the recent two decades Russians increasingly assess the Russia-China cooperation favorably. Today seven out of ten Russians consider the bilateral relations as friendly, good-neighborly (72%), an all-time record high; since 2005 this share has doubled (2005, 2009 — 34%, each; 2014 — 60%, 2022 — 55%; 2023 — 64%). Another 14% consider that Russia-China relations can be called calm (2005 — 40%); a total of 8% give negative assessments (chilly — 5%, tense — 2%, hostile — 1%); in 2005 this share was twice bigger (16%).
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The positive dynamic might be due to strengthening of the strategic partnership between Russia and China, common geopolitical interests and a striving to defend a multi-polar world amidst confrontation with the West, as well as a stronger economic cooperation at the highest level.
Along with growing positive perceptions of Russia-China relations, personal perception of China is also improving. Every second Russian says that their perception of China has changed for the better over the recent ten years (50%); the older Russians are, the more often they choose this answer option (35% among Zoomers and over 60% of those from the generations of Stagnation and Thaw (61-67%). More than a quarter of respondents (28%, −13 p.p. compared to 2014) say their attitudes towards China have not changed much; and only 3% report worse perceptions of China. The share of Russians who show no interest in China is 16%; this share has been within 12-20% over the entire period of measurement.
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On sanctions
In 2014, VCIOM asked Russians whether China could replace the West as an economic partner. Russians’ assessments were rather optimistic: 74% said China could soften the sanction pressure on Russia, including a quarter (24%) who were confident that China could fully replace the West, and 50%, partially. Sixteen percent did not believe in the economic potential of the Russian-Chinese cooperation.
A May survey reveals that Russians hold on to their predictions: 76% say China could replace the West fully (18%) or partially (58%) as an economic partner and compensate for the sanctions. Thirteen percent of respondents oppose them.
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And about culture
Speaking about what exactly incites interest in the Chinese culture, in an open-ended question most of Russians pointed out language, art, traditions (38% in total). Eighteen percent of Russians were interested in China’s economy. A further 15% mentioned mentality, Chinese character. Ten percent of respondents chose Chinese history and religion; 9%, domestic policy; 4%, foreign policy. A third of respondents (31%) were not interested in the Chinese culture.
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VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted 4 May, 2024. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18+ were surveyed. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Key effectiveness indicators, survey of 4 May, 2024: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.7838; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0118; response rate (RR)*** = 0.0742. calculations are based on corporate standards: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/
* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.
** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not.
** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.
How would you generally assess the current state of the Russia-China relations? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| 2005* | 2009* | 2014* | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Friendly | 19 | 17 | 31 | 28 | 38 | 44 |
Good, good-neighborly | 15 | 17 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 28 |
Calm | 40 | 39 | 32 | 34 | 25 | 14 |
Chilly | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Tense | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Hostile | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Don’t know | 10 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
How would you generally assess the current state of the Russia-China relations? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||||
| Total | Men | Women | Digital generation (2001 and later) | Younger Millennials (1992—2000) | Older Millennials (1982—1991) | Reform generation (1968—1981) | Stagnation generation (1948—1967) | Thaw generation (before 1947) |
Friendly | 44 | 44 | 45 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 50 |
Good, good-neighborly | 28 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 30 | 31 | 27 | 28 | 25 |
Calm | 14 | 13 | 15 | 24 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
Chilly | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
Tense | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Hostile | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Don’t know | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
Has your opinion about China changed over the recent ten years, or not? If yes, how did it change? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||
| 2005* | 2007* | 2009* | 2014* | 2024 |
Changed for the better | 28 | 22 | 24 | 41 | 50 |
No change | 38 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 28 |
Changed for the worse | 12 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 3 |
I’m not interested in China | 16 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 16 |
Don’t know | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 |
Has your opinion about China changed over the recent ten years, or not? If yes, how did it change? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||||
| Total | Men | Women | Digital generation (2001 and later) | Younger Millennials (1992—2000) | Older Millennials (1982—1991) | Reform generation (1968—1981) | Stagnation generation (1948—1967) | Thaw generation (before 1947) |
Changed for the better | 50 | 55 | 45 | 35 | 40 | 43 | 48 | 61 | 67 |
No change | 28 | 27 | 29 | 48 | 37 | 36 | 25 | 17 | 16 |
Changed for the worse | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
I’m not interested in China | 16 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 13 | 12 |
Don’t know | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
Due to reciprocal sanctions economic ties between Russia and the Western countries are now torn. In your opinion, will China be capable of replacing the West as Russia’s economic partner, or not? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| 2014* |
It can fully replace it | 24 |
It can replace it partially | 50 |
No, it cannot replace it | 16 |
Don’t know | 10 |
Due to reciprocal sanctions economic ties between Russia and the Western countries are now torn. In your opinion, did China manage to replace the West as Russia’s economic partner, or not? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||||
| Total | Men | Women | Digital generation (2001 and later) | Younger Millennials (1992—2000) | Older Millennials (1982—1991) | Reform generation (1968—1981) | Stagnation generation (1948—1967) | Thaw generation (before 1947) |
It managed to fully replace it | 18 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 12 |
It managed to replace it partially | 58 | 57 | 59 | 62 | 58 | 60 | 57 | 57 | 55 |
No, it didn’t manage to replace it | 13 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 15 |
Don’t know | 11 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 18 |
Are you generally interested in the Chinese culture, or not? If yes, what exactly are you interested in? Several answers are possible (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents) | |
Culture, art, language, sum of answers | 38 |
Culture / language | 13 |
Daily life / customs, traditions / people’s life | 9 |
Art / music / cinema | 6 |
Cuisine / food / national dishes | 5 |
Architecture / infrastructure / construction | 3 |
Martial arts / combat sport | 1 |
Tea / tea ceremony | 1 |
Economy, industry, technologies, sum of answers | 18 |
Science / developed technology and production | 7 |
Economic development | 4 |
China’s development | 4 |
Car manufacturing | 1 |
Industry | 1 |
Chinese goods / trade | 1 |
Mentality, people, sum of answers | 15 |
People / mentality / people’s character | 5 |
Attitude to work / fitness for work / Chinese hard-working culture | 4 |
Relationship between people / friendliness / respect | 2 |
People’s unity / cohesion | 1 |
Education | 1 |
Healthy lifestyle culture / sports | 1 |
Discipline | 1 |
History, religion, sum of answers | 11 |
Ancient China / history | 7 |
Religion / mindset / philosophy | 3 |
Great Chinese wall | 1 |
Domestic policy, sum of answers | 9 |
Chinese politics / communism / independence / laws | 4 |
Social policy / standard of living / population size | 2 |
Healthcare / Chinese medicine / non-traditional medicine | 2 |
Education system | 1 |
Foreign policy, sum of answers | 4 |
Russia-China relations / friendship / cooperation | 3 |
Foreign policy | 1 |
Other answer options |
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Tourism / I’d like to go to China | 2 |
Nature / China’s geography | 1 |
Everything is interesting | 1 |
Not interested in the Chinese culture | 31 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 19 |
*Before 2017, surveys were conducted through household face-to-face interviews (“Express” project); stratified multi-stage quota-based sample; quotas based on socio-demographic parameters, representative of the Russian population aged 18+ by settlement type, sex, gender, education. Sample size, unless otherwise stated, is 1,600 respondents.