Choosing China: public perceptions of ‘China as a model’

Abstract

This article examines East Asians and Chinese nationals who select 'China as a model' of development. The analysis looks at both macro and micro explanations to show that China's standing as a development model is not in sync with its status as a rising global and regional power. At the macro level, the focus is on country-level patterns, while the micro analysis is drawn from the third wave surveys of the Asia Barometer Survey data conducted from 2011 to 2013 in 13 different countries. The findings suggest that political values, history, geography and socio-economic conditions correspond to different views of China as a model and that those outside of China who select the country as a model are quite different from those in China itself.In this age where China is staking its claim as a world superpower and its influence is extending globally, its model of development, known as the 'China model', is being touted as an alternative development trajectory. This model at its core broadly involves a pattern of authoritarian state capitalist-led development. Yet, there is no unanimity over the 'China model' as it is heavily debated among scholars and development practitioners. The origins of the scholarly debates began with discussions of the 'Beijing consensus' in 2004 with attention to economic development, and have extended more recently into the non-democratic and institutional political features of China's political system. There is significant variation on what the 'China model' actually is and how it should be perceived both globally and within China. In these discussions, there is a missing element-an analysis of how the East Asian public, especially the Chinese themselves, view China as a model for development. We know very little of the extent to which ordinary citizens in Asia favorably consider China as a model and why. Do ordinary citizens actually see China as a development model to follow? Are there differences among

Seek Fact From Texts: Saudi Media on China Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…34 We might also expect the model to have particular appeal in Saudi Arabia, given evidence that China's development experience holds greater appeal for individuals outside of developed, industrialised democracies in East Asia and the West. 35 In the initial months of the pandemic, a range of commentators emphasised China's efforts to stamp out the virus through strict social controlspart of 'the harsh reality of guaranteeing survival'. 36 Elite commentators in Al-Sharq al-Aawsat offered some of the clearest praise for China's successes.…”

Is the USA the Only Role Model in Town? Empirical Evidence from the Asian Barometer Survey

“…However, little research has tapped into how public opinion responds to country role model choice. Welsh and Chang’s (2015) work is one of the few works looking into how East Asians pick their country role model. Using the third wave of the Asian Barometer Survey, they find that political values, history, geography, and socio-economic conditions are significant determinants for those who look up to China as their country role model.…”

“…Second, there is no comprehensive examination of how East Asians make their role model choices. To my knowledge, Welsh and Chang’s (2015) and Yang and Chen’s (2016) papers tackle the issue directly. They discuss why China might be chosen as a role model at a time when China is arguably replacing the USA in the minds of East Asians.…”

“…On the other hand, scholars present several successful stories of developing countries to challenge the democratic development theory (Cardoso, 1977; O’Donnell, 1988). With a wealth of literature on country role model choice from the elite’s perspective, few studies have tapped into how citizens think of country role model choices (Welsh and Chang, 2015; Yang and Chen, 2016). Nevertheless, the existing scholarly works look into what determinants make East Asians choose China as their country role model on the basis of survey evidence.…”

Interests, Values, and Geopolitics: The Global Public Opinion on China

“…In the case of Vietnam, similar experiences of reform and political ideologies of communism and socialism may create some sense of affinity, while in post-communist Mongolia or anti-communist Taiwan the ideological hostility is more pronounced. At a micro, individual level, research shows that (1) East Asians that viewed their own government as non-corrupt/practicing good governance did not choose China as a model (or any other country as a model except their own); (2) East Asians that were more politically traditional were more likely to choose China as a model, but were also willing to choose other alternatives as well; (3) less educated East Asians were more likely to select China as a model; (4) East Asians that perceived China as having more influence and making a positive difference within their own country were more likely to select China as a model 11 …”