Multi-faceted China’s National Image in India

“What do you think of China?” is a question foreigners frequently run into when visiting the country. What answers will Indians give to this same question when asked in their home country?

From March to June in 2017, the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, Kantar Millward Brown and Lightspeed jointly conducted the fifth global survey of China’s national image in 22 countries. Respondents to the survey included 500 Indians ranging from 18 to 65 in age, half male and half female.

The survey showed that Indian respondents acknowledge China for its contribution to global governance, especially in the science and technology sector. In their eyes, “a big oriental country with a rich history and full of charm” is the most prominent characterization of the country, and “hard working” is the most prominent feature of Chinese people. Concerning the Chinese government’s proposals, Indian respondents believe that the most beneficial one to India is importing more goods from them. They regard martial arts as the most iconic representation of Chinese culture. Their most familiar Chinese achievement in science and technology is the high-speed train, most familiar Chinese brand is Lenovo, and most familiar cities are Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, in that order.