93% of Chinese People "Satisfied with the Chinese Government"

"Satisfaction" Response Rate 86.1% in 2003 → 93.1% in 2016
65.3% Responded "Integrity of the Chinese Central Government"... Doubled from 35.4% in 2011

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] A survey has revealed that the satisfaction level of Chinese people with the central government has exceeded 90%. This indicates a steady increase in support for the ruling Communist Party among Chinese citizens.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong on the 21st, a Harvard University research team commissioned a long-term survey from a Chinese public opinion research firm, targeting over 31,000 Chinese people from 2003 to 2016, which showed a sharp rise in support for the ruling Communist Party.

The proportion of respondents who expressed satisfaction with the Chinese central government increased from 86.1% in 2003 to 93.1% in 2016. Satisfaction with local governments also rose from 43.6% in 2003 to 70.2% in 2016.

The percentage of Chinese people who responded that the central government is honest also rose to 65.3% in 2016, double the 35.4% recorded in 2011, the year before President Xi Jinping took office. The research team explained that this reflects the perception among Chinese people that President Xi’s anti-corruption campaign has been effective.

In 2011, only 35.5% of Chinese people supported the anti-corruption campaign, but by 2016, the proportion of those in favor had doubled to 71.5%.

The fact that satisfaction with local governments among Chinese people is lower than that with the central government was noted as a distinctive feature. This contrasts with Western countries such as the United States, where local government leaders tend to enjoy greater popularity than central government leaders.

Regarding this, Alfred Wu, Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, said, "This pattern is unique to countries with strong propaganda activities," adding, "It is especially evident in China and Vietnam, where the central government creates a positive image through extensive propaganda efforts, but local governments are more exposed to reality, resulting in lower support."

The Harvard research team’s findings were released last week. SCMP reported that the results could cast doubt on claims that China is sitting on a 'social volcano' where social discontent is forcibly suppressed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.